Team Anna: Delhi Police wants undertaking on protest
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The Anna Hazare team on Saturday said it has been asked by Delhi Police to give an undertaking that it will end its protest fast at a park in central Delhi in two-and-half days, a condition which it said was not acceptable and “totally unconstitutional”.
Anna Hazare team member Manish Sisodia said they have received a letter from Delhi Police giving permission for holding the protest at Jai Prakash Narain Park for two-and-a-half days.
"They have asked us to given an undertaking that we will end our fast at Jai Prakash Narain Park in that period. This is not acceptable to us," he said.
"We are discussing the matter. We may now sit at Jantar Mantar," he said.
Hazare was denied permission by Delhi Police to hold fast at the capital's protest hotspot Jantar Mantar and instead offered Jai Prakash Narain Park as the venue.
Lokpal Bill drafting committee member Prashant Bhushan slammed the undertaking as totally unconstitutional.
"They (Delhi Police) are saying you first give an undertaking that you will move out in 2 or 3 days. Then we will given you permission. Requiring such an undertaking is absurd and totally unconstitutional. Therefore, there is no question of giving any such undertaking," Bhushan said.
The government yesterday denounced the agitation as "unjustified" with a message that it could intervene if Hazare's health fails.
Home minister P. Chidambaram said Hazare’s "extra parliamentary protest" at this stage "seems unjustified" but was evasive on the delay in grant of permission, contending that the matter rests with Delhi Police.
Hazare's earlier fast, when the Lokpal Bill was not in place, was "perhaps right" but not now when a bill has already been introduced in Parliament and the government has "moved forward" on it, the home minister said.
At the same time, Chidambaram said, "Everybody has aright to protest and the context and circumstances will decide whether the protest was right or not."
Hazare's fast at Jantar Mantar in April had generated a nationwide agitation, forcing the government to set up a joint committee to draft Lokpal Bill.
The letter written by Delhi Police said that the mainorganisers should give an undertaking that they would vacate the park along with their supporters by 6 00 pm on August 18 and it should be signed by Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal, Shanti Bhushan, Prashant Bhushan and Kiran Bedi.
The organisers should also ensure that the gathering does not exceed 4-5,000 people and the participants are channelised and seated in an organised manner and do not spill out on the roads, the letter said.
"The government medical officers shall examine the persons participating in the fast at least three times a day and their recommendations regarding an individual's removal to hospital for medical care shall be final," the letter said.
No loudspeaker or public system will be allowed at the dharna, it said.
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