The government on Tuesday defended the arrest of anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare and his associates, saying they had pointblank refused to agree to the conditions laid down by the Delhi Police. The government said it "was not against a peaceful democratic protest".
"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.
"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.
"After carefully studying the situation, the authorities came to the conclusion that there will be breach of peace in Delhi," Chidambaram said, adding, "Team Anna said it was proceeding to defy the prohibitory orders around J.P. Park and following that Hazare and six others were detained."
"We are not prohibiting a peaceful democratic protest, with a reasonable set of conditions. Nowhere in the world is there a protest without conditions and this is India's capital, where the maintenance of law & order is not a very easy task. We regret to say this kind of protest was unacceptable," Chidambaram said.
Chidambaram also said laws are meant to be made in Parliament and not through street protests.
"I'm ready to make a statement in Parliament, but I was not allowed to speak," he said.
Human Resources Development 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.
Taking a dig at Hazare's protest, I&B Minister Ambika Soni said there was nobody in the country who was not against corruption.
"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.
"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.
"After carefully studying the situation, the authorities came to the conclusion that there will be breach of peace in Delhi," Chidambaram said, adding, "Team Anna said it was proceeding to defy the prohibitory orders around J.P. Park and following that Hazare and six others were detained."
"We are not prohibiting a peaceful democratic protest, with a reasonable set of conditions. Nowhere in the world is there a protest without conditions and this is India's capital, where the maintenance of law & order is not a very easy task. We regret to say this kind of protest was unacceptable," Chidambaram said.
Chidambaram also said laws are meant to be made in Parliament and not through street protests.
"I'm ready to make a statement in Parliament, but I was not allowed to speak," he said.
Human Resources Development 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.
Taking a dig at Hazare's protest, I&B Minister Ambika Soni said there was nobody in the country who was not against corruption.
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