Police reject nod for Anna Hazare's fast

Delhi Police today rejected permission for Anna Hazare's indefinite fast here as his team refused to give an undertaking that the Gandhian would end it by Thursday and restrict the number of protestors to 5,000, setting the stage for a showdown between the two parties.

The Hazare team said the Gandhian and his 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 the application came soon after the Hazare team submitted an undertaking leaving six out of the 22 conditions laid out by Delhi Police for granting permission for the fast at the park.

It also came on a day when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh used his Independence Day speech to question Hazare's proposed fast on Lokpal Bill and asserted that those who are opposed to the bill should not resort to fasts-unto-death.

Delhi Police sources said they have rejected permission for Hazare as the organisers failed to give a "full and proper" undertaking on 22 conditions laid out by it.

The Hazare team said they have given an undertaking accepting 16 conditions. "We have not accepted six conditions as they are unconstitutional," a Hazare team spokesperson said.

The conditions that were not accepted by the Hazare team were capping the day of protest to three and the number of protestors to below 5,000, government doctors to check on Hazare, ban on use of loudspeakers after 9 pm, limiting the number of vehicles to 50 cars and 50 motorcycles in parking and that no tent be erected.

A senior police official said they had been "very accomodating" and had gone out of the way to help them. He said they would be forced to take action against Hazare team if they forcibly enter the park tomorrow.