Hazare detention: PM takes stock of situation

New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI) Amid showdown between activist
Anna Hazare and the Indian government on the Lokpal
(anti-corruption ombudsman) issue, Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh Tuesday took stock of the situation arising out of the
detention of the activist.
The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) met
here this morning where officials briefed the meeting on the
police action.
"Hazare has been detained. It all depends on what he
intends to do. We will watch the situation," a senior
minister, who attended the meeting, said.
The issue of impeachment of Justice Soumitra Sen of
Calcutta High Court also figured in the meeting. The
deliberations, however, primarily focussed on Hazare's
protest.
Speaking to reporters separately, I&B Minister Ambika
Soni, who is not a member of the CCPA, justified the police
action saying if any untoward incident would have happened at
a gathering of a large number of people, then the security
apparatus would have been solely blamed for the incident.
Soni said any untoward incident cannot be ruled out if
some unscrupulous persons who have no social standing had
gathered at the protest venue.
She made it clear neither the government nor the Congress
party prefers any personal attack on Hazare but insisted that
every person, how so great he may be, has to abide by the law.
In a marked difference from the earlier attack on Hazare
by the party, Soni said the activist was a "reputed person"
and the government trusts his word on the protest being
peaceful.