New Delhi, Aug 15 (ANI): With the Delhi Police denying permission to veteran social activist Anna Hazare to go ahead with plans for an indefinite fast here, RTI crusader Arvind Kejriwal today criticized the government for curbing the fundamental right to assemble and protest peacefully.
"Wherever the police would stop us, we would stop there itself and if police doesn't allow us to sit there and protest, we would be prepared to be arrested. If anything happens, the police should be blamed. The government of India has now started fearing the people of India and this is dangerous for a democratic country," Kejriwal told mediapersons here.
"The government is going against the sentiments of the people by sabotaging peaceful protests across the country. It has been misusing Section 144; it is a shame that on the day for which the freedom fighters had fought for, the government is imposing Section 144," he added.
Kejriwal further said that there have been rumours that few of the activists would be arrested in the night itself, long before the protest actually begins.
"Yes, there has been word spreading that tonight itself some of us would be arrested," he added.
A large number of supporters from across the country have come out in support of Anna Hazare.
"Even if they do not allow us to protest there (at Jai Prakash Narain Park), we would still carry out Satyagraha even if the police fire at us. If corruption has to end, we don't mind going to jail. We have come from so far off for a good purpose. Delhi police and government can do anything as they wish, even kill us, but this protest wouldn't end," said Hazare supporter, Dilip Bharat from Maharashtra.
Hazare is expected to hold a press conference at 7 p.m.
Delhi Police earlier in the day rejected permission to Hazare to go ahead with plans for an indefinite fast here as his team refused to give an undertaking to abide by the conditions laid down, which would restrict the number of protestors to 5,000 and the period of the fast. .
The Anna Hazare team said Anna and his team of supporters would court arrest tomorrow at Jai Prakash Narain Park near Ferozeshah Kotla stadium here after paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.
The police move to reject permission to hold the fast came soon after the Hazare team submitted an undertaking leaving six out of the 22 conditions laid down by Delhi Police for granting permission to hold the fast at the park.
Among the conditions that were not accepted by the Hazare team were capping the day of protest to three , the number of protestors to below 5,000, government doctors to check on Hazare, ban on use of loudspeakers after 9 p.m., limiting the number of vehicles to 50 cars and 50 motorcycles in parking and that no tent should be erected.
Delhi Police had offered Jai Prakash Narain Park last week as a venue but had laid out 22 conditions for giving permission for Hazare to sit on protest.
The Hazare Team said the conditions laid out by police was """unconstitutional""". (ANI)
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