India's minister for tourism, Uma Bharati, has resigned in protest of an alleged police attack on some of her party's members during council elections in the central Indian town of Bhopal.

Ms Bharati has accused police officials and members of the Madhya Pradesh state government, which is controlled by the Congress party, of beating up twelve locally elected members of her Bharitiya Janata Party.

Ms Bharati said she could not continue as a minister because it prevented her from taking to the streets in protest over the beatings.

She demanded action against the policemen involved in the incident. She also called for the election to the post of speaker of Bhopal municipal corporation -- during which the police are alleged to have committed violence -- to be cancelled.

The state government has said it is willing to order an enquiry.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service