Anna Hazare refuses to come out of jail as govt buckles under demands
Anna Hazare on Tuesday night refused to come out of jail, saying he wanted permission to hold fast over a strong Lokpal Bill. Earlier, hours after being arrested, the anti-corruption crusader was set to be released following nationwide protests as the pressure mounted on the government. Tihar Jail DG Neeraj Kumar had said Hazare would be released at 9.15 pm.
Tihar sources said Hazare wanted an undertaking from the government that he would be free to go where he chose and that he should be allowed to continue with his fast.
Delhi Police had sent the warrant, asking for release of Hazareand his associates, to Tihar Jail where he was lodged after a seven-day judicial remand. The police had earlier released Hazare's associates Kiran Bedi and Shanti Bhushan. Bedi said she was happy "Anna is being released. Anna would not make any compromises".
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi had a meeting at 7 RCR to discuss the situation, while the former also spoke to Home Minister P. Chidambaram on phone and discussed the issue in details. Later, the prime minister met Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Gandhi separately.
Huge crowds waited outside gate number three as the word spread Hazare would be set free, with police out in full force.Team Anna sources said if Hazare was released, he would go to J.P. Park, the venue of his proposed fast.
Earlier, Hazare, along with his seven supporters, including RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal, was sent to Tihar Jail after he got seven days' judicial custody following his arrest in Delhi ahead of his fast over a strong Lokpal Bill. The National Human Rights Commission issued notices to Home Secretary R.K. Singh and Delhi Police chief B.K. Gupta on Hazare's arrest, seeking a report within two weeks.
A magistrate had been taken to the Rajouri Garden police station, where the police told Hazare he could apply for bail. However, he refused to sign the bail bond following which he got the judicial remand. Hazare was lodged in Jail No 4, where sacked CWG OC chief Suresh Kalmadi is lodged.
Kumar held a meeting with senior officials and decided to keep him in a separate ward. Kumar said Hazare along with his three supporters had been kept in new admission ward of jail number four while Kejriwal, a former IRS officer, and three others had been kept in jail number one.
"They are kept in new admission ward segregated from the others. They are safe and secure," Kumar had told reporters in Delhi, adding, "We have made all arrangements for his (Hazare's) security and he has been kept segregated from other prisoners. We are dedicated to his security."
"I would like to further clarify that what is being shown on some of the channels that they are being kept with Kalmadi is totally false," he said.
"They are in the wards which are far away from the wards of Kalmadi. His (Hazare's) health will be monitored by doctors present in our jails. Our future course of action will depend on his health condition," the Director General said.
Hazare was lodged in jail number four which houses 2,231 prisoners including CWG scam accused Suresh Kalmadi and Kalaignar TV Managing Director Sharad Kumar, who is in judicial custody in 2G scam. Hazare was with his associates Radheyshyam Prajapati, Suresh Pathare and Manish Sisodia in the new admission cell of the jail.
Delhi Police personnel and Anna Hazare supporters near his residence.
Former Indian Revenue Services officer Kejriwal had been lodged with Navin Jaisingh, Dada Pathare and Darshak in jail number one where former telecom minister A. Raja and MD of D B Realty Shahid Balwa, both accused in 2G case, are among the 1,543 prisoners.
Kumar had said, "We will come to know about his fast at the time of evening meal. If he does not take it that means his fast is on. He has not been given the evening food as of now."
Jail officials said that Hazare had water and all the eight were found to be fit during routine medical examination.Hazare fasts in police custody
Hazare, Bedi and Kejriwal were brought to the Delhi Police Officers' Mess at Civil Lines after their arrest, where the Gandhian launched a fast. Hazare's team said he was not even taking water.
Govt defends arrests
"This government is not against any democratic and peaceful protest. Protests have to be held under conditions laid down by the police," Home Minister P. Chidambaram said at a press conference.
Chidambaram said that Hazare this morning was proceeding to J.P. Park to defy prohibitory orders. "The police concluded that he would be comitting a cognisable opffcence," he said.
"The organisers (of Hazare's protest) refused to accept six of the many conditions laid down by the police, including that of limiting the fast to three days and maximum of 5,000 supporters. They made it clear they will defy the orders," Chidambaram said.The home minister said the conditions laid down by the police were as per past rulings of the Supreme Court and high courts. "Hazare and six others were taken to the Delhi Police Officers' Mess. Around 300 others were detained across the city and taken to the Chattrasal Stadium," he said.
HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said the government wasn't against the right to protest, but that shouldn't disturb public order.
"Conditions laid down on holding protests depend on the area where they are intended to be held. The area around J.P. Park is busy, has a market and the Maulana Azad Medical College," Sibal said. "The rights of people who are not part of a protest should not be affected," he said.
My arrest won't stop protest: Anna
In a CD relased by his team members after his arrest, Hazare urged people to carry on the fight against corruption through non-violent means.
"How can my arrest stop this agitation against corruption? My team will carry on the anti-corruption stir further and this fight will continue," he said.
"I appeal to the people to be non-violent and not damage any individual's or national property. Nobody should be hurt," Hazare urged.
Team Anna is planning to move the Supreme Court against the arrests.
Protests in support of Hazare
Residents of Hazare's village Ralegan Siddhi took to the streets in protest. Scores of people trooped out of their homes soon after news of the arrest of Hazare and his team members reached the village, about 230 km from Mumbai.
There was a spontaneous shutdown in the village. Many villagers, including women, marched to the local Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation bus depot and raised slogans against the government.
While thousands of activists staged a march in Pune, a large number of protestors started a gathering near Dadar in Mumbai. An agitation is planned at Azad Maidan in Mumbai later on Tuesday where prominent activists, including Medha Patkar, are expected to congregate.
Massive protests were held at Delhi's Chhatrasal Stadium, where detained supporters of Hazare were brought.
Arrests rock Parliament
The arrests put the government on the backfoot in Parliament, with the Opposition demanding a statement by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
"We want prime minister's statement on the Anna issue. Otherwise, we will not allow Parliament to function," Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said.
CPI-M leader Brinda Karat said: "The Congress is steeped in corruption, so it's only natural that it doesn't want to discuss it."
Later, Swaraj said the government was giving the same treatment to Hazare as was given to yoga guru Baba Ramdev.Chetan Bhagat, Anupam Kher slam arrest
Author Chetan Bhagat said Hazare's arrest was a disastrous move by the government while actor Anupam Kher called it the saddest day for Indian democracy. Anupam Kher said, "Government has angered the common man."
Hazare sent to seven-day judicial custody
Anna Hazare was on Tuesday sent to seven days judicial custody in Tihar Jail.
"Anna Hazare denied to sign the personal bond and has been sent to seven days judicial custody in Tihar jail," said Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat.
Activists Kiran Bedi, Shanti Bhushan released
Bedi, who had been kept at Delhi's Kingsway Camp after being detained, was seen instructing policemen on the features of the Jan Lokpal Bill on her release.
Movement will go on: Kiran Bedi
Soon after she was released from detention, activist Kiran Bedi said on Tuesday anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare might be jail, but his movement would continue. Even as Hazare was sent to Tihar Jail on Tuesday following a seven-day judicial remand, police released his associates Bedi and Shanti Bhushan from detention.
"Anna has sown the seeds of patriotism and activism among the youth of India," Bedi said, adding, "Anna is our leader. I will go to Tihar to meet him (RTI activist) Arvind Kejriwal."
