The Supreme Court will hear on Monday a public interest litigation petition seeking a directive to the Centre and the Delhi Police to issue a White Paper on the alleged police action in the ‘Baba Ramdev eviction incident' on the night of June 4/5 and also the sequence of events i.e. the entire details of talks, negotiations and the so-called ‘deal' between the Union government and Yoga guru Baba Ramdev.
In his writ petition, advocate Ajay Agarwal wanted a direction to be issued to the Centre to restrain its Ministers from making any statements justifying the uncalled-for police action; and a direction to punish those involved in this alleged brutality after a through enquiry.
Gross rights violation
The petition said the police action on the innocent people while they were asleep was nothing but gross violation of their fundamental rights. “This crackdown on yoga guru Baba Ramdev's anti-graft fast is a shameful chapter in the history of Indian democracy. It was a barbaric act by the police against citizens who were protesting peacefully against corruption and black money.”
It said the police crackdown on Baba Ramdev and his supporters took place when nothing untoward had happened and there was no room for any suspicion that there might be a law and order problem.
It said that on June 1, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee led three other senior Ministerial colleagues to meet Baba Ramdev at the airport, apparently eager to strike a deal to avert his hunger strike at the Ramlila Maidan from June 4.
Pointing out that the people were entitled to know the so-called secret talks held by the Ministers with Baba Ramdev, he wanted a direction that these talks be produced by the respondents, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal.
