Anna Hazare to sit on day-long fast at Jantar Mantar

New Delhi, Jun 7: Anna Hazare and his supporters will sit on a day-long fast at Jantar Mantar here on Wednesday, June 7 to protest against police action on Baba Ramdev and have threatened to defy prohibitory orders if police refuse to give permission.

Close aides of Hazare said preparations were in full swing for the "very peaceful" protest from 10 am to 7 pm at the dharna hotspot of the capital. An all-religion prayer meeting and a debate on Lokpal Bill are also being organised during the fast.

Civil society member Arvind Kejriwal said, "No one can stop Anna Hazare from protesting at Jantar Mantar tomorrow (June 8)".

Shanti Bhushan, who wrote to Delhi Police on behalf of Hazare-led team seeking permission for the protest, said the incident in Ramlila Maidan on Saturday was a "blot on democracy" and it was the right of public to protest.

Police had on Sunday imposed Section 144 in Jantar Mantar and other areas in New Delhi district following the midnight police action in Ramlila Maidan where Ramdev and his supporters were on an indefinite protest against blackmoney.

In his letter, Bhushan said, "We are informing you and cautioning you that this re-imposition of Section 144 again in Central Delhi in the absence of any emergent situation which imminently threatens to breach of peace, is a clear violation of Citizen's Charter."

"We are putting you on notice that we intend to go ahead with the fast on June eight which will be totally peaceful and any attempt to prevent the people from reaching Jantar Mantar would be viewed as a serious violation of fundamental democratic rights of the people. We hope the Delhi Police will desist from any such attempt," he said.

PTI