Three days to go, Hazare yet to know venue for fast

New Delhi, Aug 12 (PTI) With just three days left for
social activist Anna Hazare's proposed fast for a "strong"
Lokpal(anti-corruption ombudsman), uncertainty prevailed over
the venue of the agitation, which was Friday denounced by the
government as "unjustified" with a message that it could
intervene if his health fails.
Hazare, who was denied permission by Delhi Police to hold
fast at the capital's protest hotspot Jantar Mantar and
offered Jai Prakash Narain Park as the venue, is yet to get
permission from Central Public Works Department (CPWD), which
owns the place.
"We are yet to receive the permission from CPWD," Manish
Sisodia, a Hazare team member, told PTI, adding a decision
would be communicated to them through the Delhi Police.
Sources in Urban Development Ministry, which is in charge
of CPWD, said no decision had been taken.
The Hazare team had approached the CPWD Thursday seeking
a nod for using the park for the social activist's indefinite
fast for withdrawal of the "anti-poor, anti Dalit, weak"
Lokpal Bill from Parliament and introducing a stronger one.
Replying to questions over the issue, Home Minister P
Chidambaram said Hazare's "extra Parliamentary protest" at
this stage "seems unjustified" but was evasive on the delay in
grant of permission, contending that the matter rests with
Delhi Police.
Hazare's earlier fast, when the Lokpal bill was not in
place, was "perhaps right" but not now when a bill has already
been introduced in Parliament and the government has "moved
forward" on it, the Home Minister said.
At the same time, he said, "everybody has a right to
protest and the context and circumstances will decide whether
the protest was right or not."
Hazare's fast at Jantar Mantar in April had generated a
nationwide agitation, forcing the government to set up a joint
committee to draft Lokpal Bill.
Asked whether the government can intervene in case
Hazare's health is affected, Chidambaram said, "Certainly, if
anyone's life is in danger, the government has not only a duty
but a right to intervene."
He was, however quick to add that the statement was not
in context of Hazare but a general one.
Hazare Thursday said he would even stop drinking water
if the government arrests him before or during the fast and
tries to force feed him.
To queries about delay in granting permission to Hazare
to hold fast and how the government intends to tackle the
stir, the Home Minister said the matter rests with Delhi
Police Commissioner and the government was "not tackling
or pushing any one".
"I think we are jumping the gun. He wants to have a
protest fast and has applied for permission before the Delhi
Police. The application is under process. Police Commissioner
has to decide. See what he decides," he said.
Meanwhile, Hazare went for a medical check-up at Vedanta
Medicity in Gurgaon ahead of the fast. "He goes for a check-up
before every fast. This is a routine one. The doctors have
said that he is perfectly fit for the fast," Sisodia said.
On Wednesday night, Delhi Police had offered the Hazare
team the Jai Prakash Narain Park, near Ferozeshah Kotla
ground in New Delhi, as the venue for the fast subject to
permission from the land owning agency.
The Hazare team expressed satisfaction at choice of venue
and approached CPWD.
Hazare had planned to organise the protest at Jantar
Mantar, but police denied permission saying that one group
cannot be allowed to "usurp" the space there where many other
protests are also being organised.