Social activist Anna Hazare on Monday remained defiant on holding an indefinite fast from tomorrow for a stronger Lok Pal Bill and even vowed to court arrest if prevented after the government denied him permission to stage a hunger strike.
Hazare said he would march to the venue tomorrow and fast at the entrance. “They (police) have imposed Section 144 there which prevents gathering of more than five people. So, I would be arrested. In that case, I would fast in jail and if let off would go back and sit at the gate and continue fast.”
Earlier in the day, the Delhi Police denied permission to Hazare to fast at the venue decided earlier — Jai Prakash Narain Park near the Ferozeshah Kotla stadium — because Hazare had failed to give a written undertaking to abide by the 20-odd conditions set by it.
Amid preparations by the Delhi government to arrest Hazare and his supporters, the activist turned to the public for support saying the government did not understand the language of Mahatma Gandhi and he would be forced to use the language of Chhatrapati Shivaji, the 17th century Maratha warrior king, if denied permission.
He said only a mass uprising could bring about change and appealed people to court arrest across the country.
He challenged the government to bring a powerful Lok Pal Bill saying that it would reduce corruption by 65 per cent. He said one of the two things had to happen. “Either a strong Lok Pal Bill will be tabled, or this government will be removed by the people.”
The government, which was attacking Hazare with barbs and accusations, on Monday looked nervous as it defended the conditional permission by the police for the fast.
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Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid said that in on Monday’s circumstances, it was not possible to allow huge gatherings and some conditions had to be met.
Union Minister Ambika Soni also defended the conditional permission saying that even gatherings of the ruling Congress party had to abide by restrictions set by the police.
Finding all doors closed for the fast, Hazare took the administration by surprise on Independence Day by making an unscheduled visit to Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial Raj Ghat and sitting there in reflection for more than three hours, attracting a crowd of about 2,000, and kept the police on tenterhooks.
Hazare’s supporters had earlier said they would go ahead with the fast even if it was inside the jail, as they did not agree to the conditions set by the police.
Arvind Kejriwal, a prominent member of the civil society led by Hazare, said all the members would march from the Mayur Vihar area to the venue offered by the police earlier — JP Park — and then sit outside the gates which have been sealed.
“We would court arrest,” he said.
Another member of the campaign and former Karnataka Lok Ayukta, Santosh Hegde, said the denial of permission by police was a clear sign of nervousness on the side of the government.
Political parties and civil society members criticised the government’s stand on Hazare’s proposed fast.
The National Campaign for Peoples’ Right to Information (NCPRI), which has taken a stand opposed to Hazare on the Lok Pal Bill, also condemned the denial of permission by Delhi Police to hold an indefinite fast.
NCPRI, led by activist Aruna Roy, on Monday said it was the constitutional right of Hazare to protest and it could not be denied to him.