Team Anna gave an undertaking to the Delhi police on Monday agreeing to 16 of the 22 conditions set by the police for holding the fast at the Jayaprakash Narayan Park. However, it refused to accept the police conditions to vacate the park on August 18 evening, restrict the number of protesters to 4,000-5,000, allow government medical officers to examine those participating in the fast three times a day, not use loudspeakers or public address system, ensure that only 50 cars and 50 two-wheelers are parked around the venue and not erect a shamiana on any road.
The undertaking was submitted by Neeraj Kumar, a member of India Against Corruption, to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Vivek Kishore at his office around noon. “I reached the Darya Ganj office of the DCP around 11.30 a.m. and submitted the undertaking agreeing to 16 of the 22 conditions. The six conditions were unconstitutional and hence rejected. The police were ready with their reply and told me that permission could not be granted,” said Mr. Kumar.
For their part, the police said permission was denied as the most important conditions were rejected by the Team Anna. “When the land owning agency is not ready to allot the venue beyond three days, how could they be allowed to hold an indefinite fast,” asked a senior police officer.
The officer said that the park had been barricaded and no one would be allowed to enter without permission. “In case, the protesters break the law, we will take legal action against them. We are mulling over invoking Section 144 Cr.PC in and around the venue,” the officer said.
Show of support
Meanwhile, a large number of people from all walks of life and all age groups gathered near the park in the afternoon on Monday and raised slogans supporting Mr. Anna Hazare and his cause.
Thirty-four-year-old Madhukar Patekar, who had come from Ahmednagar in Maharashtra along with fellow villagers, said: “We are a group of more than 2,000 people who have come to the capital to support Mr. Anna in his fight against corruption. We are ready to go to jail for Mr. Anna.”
Madan Lal Arora, a government employee from Noida, said: “We want a corruption-free India for our future generations. Mr. Anna is not asking anything for himself, he is fighting for us. We are with him.”
A young couple who had come to the park carrying their one-year-old daughter echoed similar sentiments. “It is an opportunity for all of us to root out corruption. We cannot afford to let this opportunity go. I along with my wife will reach the park early in the morning. I have also asked my friends, relatives and acquaintances on the Facebook and the Twitter to join the protest,” said Ashutosh Gupta, an engineer.
