Govt justifies Delhi Police rejecting permission to Anna

New Delhi, Aug 15 (PTI) The Indian government Monday
justified Delhi Police rejecting permission for Anna Hazare's
indefinite fast here in absence of an undertaking by his team
saying law of the land is equal for all and even political
parties have to take permission for holding agitations.
"I do not want to say any harsh thing against anybody. The
law of the land is equal for all. Be it Congress, any other
political party or any citizen, we all have to take the
permission of the law and order machinery to carry out any
protest or march," Information and Broadcasting Minister
Ambika Soni told reporters here.
She said, "If anybody tries to violate it (law) knowingly"
the law and order machinery will have to act.
Replying to questions on Anna team's contention that its
right to protest cannot be taken away, Soni said everybody has
got a right to protest but permission has to be sought keeping
in mind law and order and other factors.
Soni dismissed allegation of civil rights activist Arvind
Kejriwal that the police set the conditions on them at the
behest of politicians saying any person making such allegation
is "deliberately trying to mislead."
She said if anybody wanted to end corruption, some
mechanism will have to be built and wondered "why there is
this panic and desperation. Why can't we wait when we are
going to take such a historic measure (brining Lokpal)."
Soni said MPs will also give their views on the bill when
it goes to Parliament. "Let us see what suggestions they give,
what amendments they bring," she said.
The police move to reject the application came soon after
the Hazare team submitted an undertaking leaving six out of
the 22 conditions laid out by Delhi Police for granting
permission for the fast at the Jai Prakash Narain Park near
Ferozeshah Kotla stadium here.