As Delhi Police denied permission to Anna Hazare to hold his fast, the Gandhian’s associate Kiran Bedi on Monday alleged that the force was under directions to disallow the protest and said the authorities cannot limit one’s fundamental rights.
“We will court arrest on Tuesday. The conditions laid by the Delhi Police are unconstitutional. Unfortunately they are under directions,” Ms. Bedi said when asked about police denying permission to Mr. Hazare to hold his indefinite hunger strike at Jai Prakash Narain Park in New Delhi.
The Hazare team had refused to give an undertaking that it will restrict its protest to three days and the number of protesters to 5,000 following which police denied permission to the Gandhian to hold the fast.
They also refused to give an undertaking that only 50 cars and the same number of motorcycles will be parked near the venue, no shamiana will be erected on the roads and loudspeakers will not be used after 9 p.m.
“These conditions are unconstitutional. You cannot limit our fast. You cannot limit our fundamental rights. You can do that only if our protest turns violent. If it is not so, then you cannot interfere,” she said.
By putting such conditions, she alleged, the authorities were compelling them to say no to such things.
Ms. Bedi also found fault with the condition about regulating the number of vehicles at the protest venue saying they were not traffic police. “It is not our job. We are not traffic police. They should make alternative arrangements to handle traffic,” she said.
Ms. Bedi noted that they were not flouting any law and would court arrest on Tuesday wherever police stops them.
Activist Arvind Kejriwal alleged that the denial of permission showed the “dictatorial and arbitrary attitude” of the government.
He also questioned the logic of the conditions set by police. “All these conditions are unreasonable and unjustified,” he said.
“We are not allowed to erect shamianas. It is raining these days. How these tents will pose a security threat? Where will people take shelter from the rain,” he asked.
On the restrictions on vehicles being parked, he said, “Why allow only 50 vehicles to be parked. Why not 100? Why not 75? How have they arrived at this figure of 50? It is completely arbitrary.”
He alleged that the authorities were creating an Emergency-like situation.
