Anna ready to counter forceful eviction
2 Aug 2012 1:42 AM GMT
After spending the entire day fearing forcible eviction by the Delhi Police, Team Anna has decided to beat the police at their own game. They have warned the government not to repeat Ramdev-like action with them.
Anna Hazare warned the government that he would not negotiate with them if the fasting activists – Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai – are forcefully removed from the Jantar Mantar protest site.
Reacting to a letter sent by the Delhi Police, the trio told the gathering at Jantar Mantar that they are not going to heed the Delhi Police letter and warned that if they are forcibly taken to the hospital or are forcibly fed, they would ensure that nothing goes inside their bodies by removing all the needles and spitting any force-fed items.
Anna and other activists, including the fasting trio, claim that the police's bid to take the activists to hospital is a conspiracy to end the stir for a stronger Lokpal. Anna said that they would not end their fast until a strong Lokpal Bill was passed by the government.
'A man may commit suicide when he is in trouble. What is troubling Arvind? He is fighting for the country. And this fight is creating trouble for the government and there could be a conspiracy to take them to hospital. But this won't work. If the government forcefully removes them, I will not talk to anybody in the government. Till we have the strength, we will carry on with the protest,' he said.
Kejriwal, saying that it will be protesters' responsibility to get him out of the facility if he is forcibly taken there, also told the crowd to bring a plate and a spoon and beat it daily at 7 pm for 15 minutes across the country to awaken the central government. Sisodia said that the government was following the former British Raj system who used to manipulate the police to their benefit.
The trio who have been fasting for eight days on Wednesday, also addressed the crowd in the evening and checked with private doctors about their health conditions. The doctors said that there was nothing serious enough to get them immediately hospitalised. The trio said that they do not trust the government doctors.
A Team Anna member, talking to Millennium Post, said that the team had discussed everything in detail and decided to protest forcible eviction by the Delhi Police peacefully. He also said, 'If the police forced the fasting agitators to the hospital, I and Sanjay Singh would also join the indefinite fast.'
Earlier, the Delhi Police had intimated Team Anna through a letter that the health condition of the fasting trio had deteriorated and that they needed urgent hospitalisation.
ANNA STILL ON FAST AND FURIOUS, COPS IN A FIX
The Delhi Police has sent a notice to India Against Corruption advising Team Anna to immediately hospitalise Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai and warned them against any untoward incident. But Team Anna members are in no mood to give in and has appealed to supporters on Wednesday to remain at the fast venue during the night, so that the police does not forcibly try to hospitalise them.
In a letter to Team Anna member Neeraj Kumar, Additional Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) K C Dwivedi said doctors have advised that Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai need immediate medical intervention and be shifted to a hospital. Wednesday was the eighth day of their fast and their health had worsened with doctors advising hospitalisation.
But Anna Hazare and Kejriwal feel it is a conspiracy to weaken and end the agitation for a strong Lokpal and warned the government that they would not negotiate with the government if the activists are forcefully removed.
Kejriwal said that it is the responsibility of the supporters to ensure that he be out of hospital in case of forcible eviction.
The letter to Team Anna came following the tough stand adopted by the activists.
Their continued fasting, resistance to medical intervention and threats of dire consequences if forcibly removed is not as per the terms and conditions that were mutually agreed upon and may lead to adverse law and order situations, Dwivedi said.
'You are advised to follow the doctors' recommendation and take steps for immediate hospitalisation of Arvind Kejriwal, Gopal Rai and Manish Sisodia to prevent harm to their lives and wellbeing failing which you would be squarely respobsible for any untoward incident,' the letter said. Dwivedi pointed out that Team Anna had given an undertaking on 7 July, saying that they will abide by all lawful directions of any police officer at any stage of the agitation.
'Being the organiser of this agitation, the well being of the fasting activists is your responsibility,' the police told Kumar in the letter. Dwivedi also said that doctors have examined Hazare and three other activists.
Team Anna activist Shazia Ilmi alleged that they have information that Kejriwal will be forcibly removed to a hospital at night. However, the police department has denied the allegations made by Ilmi.
CRIME THRIVES AT PROTEST SITE
A Team Anna volunteer helping the medical team became the victim of a theft attack at the venue when some unidentified people stole her laptop, police said on Wednesday.
The incident took place early morning of 29 July and a case was registered on Tuesday after the victim, who is an employee of an NGO, approached police.
According to the complainant, she was working as a coordinator in the medical team looking after the health screening and lab investigations at the medical aid centre set up at Jantar Mantar protest venue when the incident happened.
Her laptop was stolen between 3 am and 7.30 am of 29 July. 'The contents of the laptop are very important,' she said in the complaint and added, as per the CCTV footage of that site, our team with the help of a Sub Inspector identified five volunteers who were probably present during the period when the incident took place.
The complainant has named five volunteers, including one girl, police said.
SUPPORTERS AGITATE AT BJP HQ
Team Anna supporters and students on Wednesday held a protest at the BJP headquarters demanding that the party support Anna Hazare’s campaign against corruption. Protesters wearing Team Anna badges and caps, shouted slogans against the party near the entrance of the BJP office, demanding that the party support Hazare’s campaign. Police removed them from the venue. Previously, they had protested at the official residences of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar. They had allegedly also defaced the walls of the Prime Minister’s house.
Anna Hazare warned the government that he would not negotiate with them if the fasting activists – Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai – are forcefully removed from the Jantar Mantar protest site.
Reacting to a letter sent by the Delhi Police, the trio told the gathering at Jantar Mantar that they are not going to heed the Delhi Police letter and warned that if they are forcibly taken to the hospital or are forcibly fed, they would ensure that nothing goes inside their bodies by removing all the needles and spitting any force-fed items.
Anna and other activists, including the fasting trio, claim that the police's bid to take the activists to hospital is a conspiracy to end the stir for a stronger Lokpal. Anna said that they would not end their fast until a strong Lokpal Bill was passed by the government.
'A man may commit suicide when he is in trouble. What is troubling Arvind? He is fighting for the country. And this fight is creating trouble for the government and there could be a conspiracy to take them to hospital. But this won't work. If the government forcefully removes them, I will not talk to anybody in the government. Till we have the strength, we will carry on with the protest,' he said.
Kejriwal, saying that it will be protesters' responsibility to get him out of the facility if he is forcibly taken there, also told the crowd to bring a plate and a spoon and beat it daily at 7 pm for 15 minutes across the country to awaken the central government. Sisodia said that the government was following the former British Raj system who used to manipulate the police to their benefit.
The trio who have been fasting for eight days on Wednesday, also addressed the crowd in the evening and checked with private doctors about their health conditions. The doctors said that there was nothing serious enough to get them immediately hospitalised. The trio said that they do not trust the government doctors.
A Team Anna member, talking to Millennium Post, said that the team had discussed everything in detail and decided to protest forcible eviction by the Delhi Police peacefully. He also said, 'If the police forced the fasting agitators to the hospital, I and Sanjay Singh would also join the indefinite fast.'
Earlier, the Delhi Police had intimated Team Anna through a letter that the health condition of the fasting trio had deteriorated and that they needed urgent hospitalisation.
ANNA STILL ON FAST AND FURIOUS, COPS IN A FIX
The Delhi Police has sent a notice to India Against Corruption advising Team Anna to immediately hospitalise Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai and warned them against any untoward incident. But Team Anna members are in no mood to give in and has appealed to supporters on Wednesday to remain at the fast venue during the night, so that the police does not forcibly try to hospitalise them.
In a letter to Team Anna member Neeraj Kumar, Additional Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) K C Dwivedi said doctors have advised that Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai need immediate medical intervention and be shifted to a hospital. Wednesday was the eighth day of their fast and their health had worsened with doctors advising hospitalisation.
But Anna Hazare and Kejriwal feel it is a conspiracy to weaken and end the agitation for a strong Lokpal and warned the government that they would not negotiate with the government if the activists are forcefully removed.
Kejriwal said that it is the responsibility of the supporters to ensure that he be out of hospital in case of forcible eviction.
The letter to Team Anna came following the tough stand adopted by the activists.
Their continued fasting, resistance to medical intervention and threats of dire consequences if forcibly removed is not as per the terms and conditions that were mutually agreed upon and may lead to adverse law and order situations, Dwivedi said.
'You are advised to follow the doctors' recommendation and take steps for immediate hospitalisation of Arvind Kejriwal, Gopal Rai and Manish Sisodia to prevent harm to their lives and wellbeing failing which you would be squarely respobsible for any untoward incident,' the letter said. Dwivedi pointed out that Team Anna had given an undertaking on 7 July, saying that they will abide by all lawful directions of any police officer at any stage of the agitation.
'Being the organiser of this agitation, the well being of the fasting activists is your responsibility,' the police told Kumar in the letter. Dwivedi also said that doctors have examined Hazare and three other activists.
Team Anna activist Shazia Ilmi alleged that they have information that Kejriwal will be forcibly removed to a hospital at night. However, the police department has denied the allegations made by Ilmi.
CRIME THRIVES AT PROTEST SITE
A Team Anna volunteer helping the medical team became the victim of a theft attack at the venue when some unidentified people stole her laptop, police said on Wednesday.
The incident took place early morning of 29 July and a case was registered on Tuesday after the victim, who is an employee of an NGO, approached police.
According to the complainant, she was working as a coordinator in the medical team looking after the health screening and lab investigations at the medical aid centre set up at Jantar Mantar protest venue when the incident happened.
Her laptop was stolen between 3 am and 7.30 am of 29 July. 'The contents of the laptop are very important,' she said in the complaint and added, as per the CCTV footage of that site, our team with the help of a Sub Inspector identified five volunteers who were probably present during the period when the incident took place.
The complainant has named five volunteers, including one girl, police said.
SUPPORTERS AGITATE AT BJP HQ
Team Anna supporters and students on Wednesday held a protest at the BJP headquarters demanding that the party support Anna Hazare’s campaign against corruption. Protesters wearing Team Anna badges and caps, shouted slogans against the party near the entrance of the BJP office, demanding that the party support Hazare’s campaign. Police removed them from the venue. Previously, they had protested at the official residences of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar. They had allegedly also defaced the walls of the Prime Minister’s house.
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