Anna Hazare: Team Hazare, Delhi Police appear to be on collision course ahead of protest

NEW DELHI: Ahead of Anna Hazare's protest, his team and Delhi Police today appeared to be headed for a showdown with both sides sticking to their stand on the issue of venue and officials making it clear that an undertaking is necessary that the agitation will end in three days.

If police denies permission, the Hazare team said they would court arrest at the Jai Prakash Narain Park.

The Hazare team is insisting that they would not give an undertaking to police that the protest would end by Thursday six pm and restrict the number of protesters to 5,000 though they are ready to give a promise that they would abide by the other 20 conditions laid out by the authorities.

Delhi Police had offered Jai Prakash Narain Park near Feroz Shah Kotla stadium last week but had laid out 22 conditions for giving permission for Hazare to sit on protest demanding a strong Lokpal Bill.

A senior police official said permission is unlikely to be granted to Hazare unless a "proper and full" undertaking is submitted to them. "We are yet to get any undertaking. If they don't give a proper and full undertaking, then permission is unlikely," the official said.

The Hazare Team said the conditions laid out by police was "unconstitutional".

Asked what would happen if police denies permission to the protest, Hazare team member Kiran Bedi said they would court arrest.

"Hazare will first go to Rajghat and then will proceed towards JP Park. If police allows us to stage fast, then we will hold the protest there. Otherwise, we will court arrest," she said.