Lokpal Bill: Anna Hazare may fast at Ramlila Maidan
Delhi Police had earlier decided to "wait and watch" before deciding on the four alternative sites that Anna and his team forwarded them as a venue for their protest.
By Dwaipayan Ghosh, TNN | Updated:
NEW DELHI: Sources in Delhi Police said that as a last-minute recourse they might agree to the Ramlila Maidan as a venue for the Anna Hazare led protest fast, beginning on August 16. The caveat, though, is that the organizers must show them all the necessary permits including one from the MCD.
Delhi Police had earlier decided to "wait and watch" before deciding on the four alternative sites that Anna and his team forwarded them as a venue for their protest. Sources in Delhi Police said that the criteria for permitting the protest will remain the same - there will be a proper study of the "possible" impact of the protest on law and order and traffic movement in the area.
"One must remember that the reason why we stopped Anna from holding his protest at Jantar Mantar was due to the huge crowd his team expects to turn up at the venue, for an indefinite period of time. The same criteria holds true for other areas too, like Boat Club and Shaheed Park - two of the alternative venues suggested by the civil society - which cannot accommodate more than 1,500 people," claimed a New Delhi district officer who confirmed receiving a letter from Anna's team proposing alternative sites.
When TOI contacted MCD officials, they denied having received any letter from the civil society seeking permission to hold a protest there. This was the same place where the police swooped upon Baba Ramdev's anti-corruption protest and resorted to teargas shelling on a large gat0ering at midnight on June 4. Ramdev's protest was declared illegal and the gathering broken up.
Additional commissioner of police (New Delhi), K C Dwivedi, said it was not possible to allow one person or group to usurp indefinitely the place meant for every citizen of India to exercise their democratic right to hold protests and dharnas.
Delhi Police had earlier decided to "wait and watch" before deciding on the four alternative sites that Anna and his team forwarded them as a venue for their protest. Sources in Delhi Police said that the criteria for permitting the protest will remain the same - there will be a proper study of the "possible" impact of the protest on law and order and traffic movement in the area.
"One must remember that the reason why we stopped Anna from holding his protest at Jantar Mantar was due to the huge crowd his team expects to turn up at the venue, for an indefinite period of time. The same criteria holds true for other areas too, like Boat Club and Shaheed Park - two of the alternative venues suggested by the civil society - which cannot accommodate more than 1,500 people," claimed a New Delhi district officer who confirmed receiving a letter from Anna's team proposing alternative sites.
When TOI contacted MCD officials, they denied having received any letter from the civil society seeking permission to hold a protest there. This was the same place where the police swooped upon Baba Ramdev's anti-corruption protest and resorted to teargas shelling on a large gat0ering at midnight on June 4. Ramdev's protest was declared illegal and the gathering broken up.
Additional commissioner of police (New Delhi), K C Dwivedi, said it was not possible to allow one person or group to usurp indefinitely the place meant for every citizen of India to exercise their democratic right to hold protests and dharnas.
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