Is this the next battleground?

With the precedent of Baba Ramdev's forcible eviction from Ramlila Grounds, Anna Hazare and his team appear set to go ahead with their June 8 agitation at Jantar Mantar, despite Delhi police's prohibitory orders

Within days of the fracas at Delhi's Ramlila Grounds, the Capital is gearing up for a possible rip-roaring showdown between the administration and civil society activists. While the government and Delhi police is facing flak for forcibly removing Baba Ramdev from the site of his agitation, Anna Hazare and his team decided to sit on fast from June 8 at Jantar Mantar. However, the famous protest point in Delhi has remained off-limits for the past few days, with cops imposing prohibitory orders in New Delhi district.

Sharing the stage: Kiran Bedi, Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare at
Jantar Mantar during Hazare's fast to press the government to
pass the Lokpal Bill. file pic

The road to Jantar Mantar was barricaded and shopowners were asked to return. "We have imposed Section 144 of the CRPC in New Delhi district," a senior police officer said. The group India Against Corruption has already started sending out SMSes to their registered users to gather at Jantar Mantar for the protest by Anna Hazare. Even social networking websites are flooded with invites and updates on the programme. Community 'Fast with Anna' mentions, "Anna Hazare to observe a day's fast on June 8 at Jantar Mantar. Anna has urged Indian citizens everywhere to observe fast with him."

So far no clearance has been given by Delhi police. Yet on Monday a delegate gave a letter at Delhi police headquarters, informing about the impending agitation. "We have just received a letter and no permission has been granted yet. We have imposed section 144 of the Indian Penal Code (ban on unlawful assembly) on New Delhi district since Saturday so if groups will be found at Jantar Mantar, the people would be arrested. But still the CP along with senior officials are discussing the issue," said a senior police official.

While Jantar Mantar falls in the New Delhi police district, Ramlila Grounds, from where Ramdev and his supporters were evicted during the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, comes under the central Delhi police district. Hazare had said on Sunday that he would defy prohibitory orders if police deny permission for the protest, saying it was the right of public to raise voice against injustice.

However, Delhi police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat denied that the imposition of prohibitory orders (under section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code) had anything to do with Hazare's planned protest at Jantar Mantar June 8.
"Yes the districts are under section 144but it does not mean that he (Hazare) will not be allowed to fast at Jantar Mantar. It depends on the merit of the application (seeking permission for June 8 fast). If his application is accepted he will be allowed to hold the protest," Bhagat said.

The letter by advocate Shanti Bhushan to commissioner of Delhi police mentioned, "The right to assemble peacefully and without arms is a guaranteed fundamental right under article 19(1)(b) of the constitution on which reasonable restrictions can be imposed under article(19)(3) only in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India or in the interest of public order. We undertake the fast on the 8th will be totally peaceful and will not pose threat to the sovereignty and integrity of the country or public."u00a0

While India Against Corruption is prepared to go ahead with the fast, sources say they are also considering shifting the location to Rajghat or Chandni Chowk. However, if permission is not given, the group may be compelled to court arrest, wrote Kiran Bedi on Twitter.

Where's everybody?
Anna Hazare also boycotted the meeting of the joint drafting committee on Lokpal bill, have written a letter to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee demanding the government to make its stand public on some of the key issues related to the anti-corruption legislation.u00a0According to reports, Anna Hazare team has laid out five demands major demands and added that government's intentions raised serious doubts about having a strong anti-corruption watchdog. According to the letter, the civil society team has raised the issue of who should be under the Lokpal. Prashant Bhushan, a member of the Joint Committee for drafting the Lokpal Bill, after a meeting of the social activists wrote a letter to Pranab Mukherjee, chairperson of the Joint Drafting Committee, saying the government desires to practically leave everyone out of Lokpal's ambit-Prime Minister, horse trading of MPs, middle and lower bureaucracy judiciary. Stating that the government is shying away from public debate, the letter says the government is not serious about holding public consultations with various stakeholders on various aspects of the Lokpal Bill. Meanwhile, referring to the mid-night crackdown on Baba Ramdev and his followers, Bhushan said, "All these developments have raised doubts in our mind whether the government was at all interested in containing corruption and having a strong Lokpal bill. However, what happened on Saturday night in Ramlila Maidan has strengthened our doubts." "All these developments have raised doubts about government's intention and so we are not attending today's meeting. The next meeting is scheduled on June 10. Hazare has prior engagements from June 9-11. So, we request rescheduling of that meeting," he added. While waiting for government's response, Bhushan cautioned that time was running out and the committee was yet to finalise the basic principles behind the bill.