Monday, August 15, 2011

Delhi police impose Section 144 at Jai Prakash Narain park


New Delhi:  Delhi government on Monday night has decided to allow use of Chhatrasal Stadium in Model Town in North Delhi for keeping the supporters of Anna Hazare in the event of their arrest. 

"We have decided that people of Anna Hazare team and his followers will be kept in the Chhatrasal stadium in case they are arrested," Delhi Home Secretary Arvind Ray told PTI. The stadium belongs to the Delhi Government.

Close to a 100 people, who were protesting at the Jai Prakash Narayan Park, were detained by the police as they violated Section 144. Most of these people have already been released but a few have been moved to the Chhatrasal Stadium.

Delhi Chief Secretary P K Tripathi held a meeting with top officials on Monday evening to deal with the situation that may arise following team Anna's arrest if they go ahead with the protest despite Delhi police refusal of permission to the Gandhian to hold his fast at Jai Prakash Narayan Park.

Ray said Delhi government received a communication from the Delhi police to deploy magistrates along with police to tackle any untoward incident. He said the Delhi Law Secretary has already taken up the issue with judges of Delhi high Court in this regard.

"The magistrates will be deployed by the High Court and that is why the Law Secretary has taken up the issue with the High Court", Ray added.

Delhi Police has also sought the services of two magistrates ahead of the protest by Team Anna which stuck to its stand of going ahead with their fast against corruption despite denial of permission for the agitation.

The Delhi police has also imposed prohibitory orders at several places in central Delhi in view of Anna's Hazare indefinite fast starting on Tuesday. The prohibitory orders include JP Park, Rajghat, Dilli Gate. Anna Hazare and his team are expected to start their march from 7:30 am from Anna's residence at Supreme Enclave, Gate 2, Mayur Vihar-1.

Sources said the prohibitory orders are likely to be clamped soon around the park near Ferozshah Kotla stadium to ensure that no untoward incident happens. They said the Delhi Police will also be deploying a large number of women personnel around the park. Delhi Police is deploying a large contingent, including women personnel, around Jai Prakash Narain Park where Anna Hazare and his supporters propose to court arrest.

Meanwhile, yoga guru Baba Ramdev, who along with his supporters faced a police crackdown during their agitation at Ramlila Maidan, wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, asking him to exercise "self restraint" and ensure that similar action was not taken against Anna Hazare and his team.

Earlier the government justified  the Delhi Police rejecting permission for Anna Hazare's planned fast, saying a major gathering cannot be allowed in present day circumstances if it is "uncontrolled". Earlier Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had affirmed his commitment to rooting out corruption but said there was no magic wand to do so. He decried hunger strikes saying, they were not the correct means by which achieve the objective.


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