Puducherry: Around 100 BJP workers, including three nominated Puducherry MLAs, were detained on Monday for attempting to stage a 'siege protest' against the Congress and its chief Rahul Gandhi for 'maligning' Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale issue.

Raising slogans against Gandhi, the workers attempted to take out a procession to the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) office for laying siege to it when they were taken into custody, police said.

The BJP members were protesting against the Congress, accusing it of plotting a conspiracy against Modi and his government over the Rafale fighter jet deal with France despite the Supreme Court giving a clean chit.

Among those detained were the three MLAs V Saminathan, also the president of the BJP's Puducherry unit, KG Shankar and S Selvaganapathy.

Saminathan said though the apex court had ruled unequivocally that there was nothing wrong in the deal, the 'frustrated Congress has been maligning' the Prime Minister and the NDA government by making false charges.

The Supreme Court on December 14 dismissed petitions challenging the deal between India and France for purchase of 36 Rafale jets for the Indian Air Force.

Citing the court order, the BJP has demanded an apology from the Congress and Gandhi for levelling allegations against Modi over the deal.

The Congress, however, has reiterated its allegations of corruption and charged the government with presenting wrong facts before the Supreme Court.