Tuesday, June 7, 2011

No intention to quit Lokpal panel, says Hazare team

New Delhi, Jun 7 (PTI) A day after boycotting the meeting of Lokpal bill drafting committee, Anna Hazare-led team today made it clear that they had no intention to quit the joint panel and hit out at HRD Minister Kapil Sibal for attacking them.

Activist Arvind Kejriwal said civil society members will attend the next meeting and contended that if they leave the ten-member committee, it will have "no credibility" as it will only remain a government panel with five ministers.

"Kapil Sibal has said that whether we come or not, they will go ahead (with the drafting of the Lokpal Bill). Why did that question arise? We had written to (Finance Minister) Pranab Mukherjee that we will not be attending today's (June 6) meeting.

"We also said that Anna Hazare will not be available on June 10 and so that the meeting on that be postponed.

No difference with Anna Hazare: Yoga guru Ramdev

Haridwar, Jun 7 (PTI) Yoga guru Baba Ramdev today dismissed suggestions of a rift with the Anna Hazare-led team and said he has asked his supporters to join the day-long fast by the social activist and his aides in New Delhi tomorrow.

"We are with them (Anna Hazare-led group). There is no difference between Anna and me," Ramdev told reporters here.

He was responding to suggestions that there was a rift between him and the Anna Hazare-led team.

"Thousands of our activists will go to Delhi to participate in the Anna movement (scheduled for tomorrow). We do not have any hope with this government. It (government) has stifled the Lokpal Bill movement," he said.

Hazare and other civil society members of the Lok Pal drafting committee will sit on a day-long fast to protest the crackdown on Ramdev's fast against corruption at Ramlila Maidan on Saturday night.

Permission denied for Anna Hazare fast at Jantar Mantar

New Delhi, June 7 (ANI): Delhi police today denied permission to Anna Hazare to hold his one-day fast at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday to protest against the government action on yoga guru Baba Ramdev.

Hazare had earlier said that he would defy prohibitory orders if police deny permission for the protest, saying it was the right of public to raise voice against injustice.

Shanti Bhushan, co-chair of joint drafting committee on Lokpal had said they would sit on fast from 10 am to 7 pm on Wednesday at Jantar Mantar to protest the police action.

"The incident in Ramlila Maidan on Saturday was a blot on democracy. We will protest it. It is the right of public to protest and will sit there even if we do not have police permission," he said.

Delhi Police had issued prohibitory orders for a week in a bid to pre-empt any protest by Ramdev supporters. (ANI)

Team Anna to hold protest at Rajghat tomorrow

New Delhi, June 7 (ANI): Hours after the Delhi Police denied permission to Gandhian Anna Hazare to hold his one-day fast at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday, the civil society activists appeared to be firm on their demand, saying they will now hold the fast at Rajghat to protest against the government action on yoga guru Baba Ramdev.

Asserting that they will go ahead with a "very peaceful" protest, RTI crusader Arvind Kejriwal, a key figure in Hazare''s campaign against corruption, said: "No one can stop Anna Hazare from protesting tomorrow. We will hold fast at Rajghat tomorrow."

"Anna has never provoked anyone. He never had a violent history. Now he says, he wants to assemble peacefully, what is the need of Section 144. If police tries to stop us we will not resist, but just offer ourselves for being arrested," he added.

Alleging that government has arbitrarily imposed Section 144, Kejriwal further said there have been Supreme Court orders stating that the section should not be misused.

Former Supreme Court Judge N. Santosh Hegde commenting on the matter said: "This government is misusing police power and suppressing people''s rights. The actions of the government against Baba Ramdev show they are scared of him."

Meanwhile, Baba Ramdev also extended his full support to Hazare, saying all his supporters will join the Gandhian in his fast scheduled tomorrow.

"The denial of permission shows the government''s intent. My supporters will be part of Anna''s fast scheduled tomorrow," said Ramdev.

According to reports, Delhi Police Commissioner B. K Gupta is meeting Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram over the issue and a decision may be taken of allowing the fast to take place at a different place and not at Jantar Mantar.

Hazare had earlier said that he would defy prohibitory orders if police deny permission for the protest, saying it was the right of public to raise voice against injustice.

Delhi Police had issued prohibitory orders for a week in a bid to pre-empt any protest by Ramdev supporters. (ANI)