HAZARE-LD REAX

New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI) Describing his detention as the
beginning of the "second freedom struggle", activist Anna
Hazare Tuesday asked people not to let the agitation against
corruption fizzle out and urged them to fill jails while his
Team termed the police action as a "return of emergency".
"My dear countrymen, second freedom struggle has begun
and now I have also been arrested. But will this movement be
stopped by my arrest? No, not at all. Don't let it happen,"
Hazare said in a pre-recorded message.
The 73-year-old Gandhian, who was scheduled to hold a
fast against corruption in J P Park here on Tuesday, asked
people to court arrest and go to jails as part of the
country-wide agitation against corruption and to demand a
strong Lokpal.
"Time has come my countrymen when there should be no
place left in jails in India to accommodate any more persons,"
he said while asking people to maintain peace.
"I once again request my fellow countrymen that peace
should be maintained and there must be no violence...Crores of
people have joined this movement and second line of leaders
are standing to lead this movement. There are many who will
continue to lead you and this fight will go on," he said.
Hazare and his close associates in the fight against
corruption -- Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi and Shanti Bhushan
-- were detained this morning as the Gandhian stood adamant on
defying prohibitory orders and go ahead with his agitation.
The Hazare team described the detention as the "return of
emergency without a formal proclamation" and asked what crime
did the Gandhian commit to take him into custody.
"This is return of emergency with out official
proclamation. What crime did Anna commit? Unless we unite, we
will be imposed by a defective Lokpal which protects
corruption. We now need solutions not statements of
intentions," Bedi told PTI.
Hazare said leaders like Kejriwal, Bedi, Prashant
Bhushan, Manish Sisodia, Arvind Gaud, PV Rajgopal, Shanti
Bhusan and Akhil Gogoi will lead the agitation.
Bedi alleged "somebody else" is behind the police action
as the force is capable enough to handle such peaceful
protests.
"This has not been done by Delhi Police, somebody else
else is behind it. Delhi Police is capable enough to handle
such peaceful protests," she said. "When Anna asked the police
about his crime, police said they were following orders," Bedi
added.
On detention of Hazare, she said there is not much
difference between detention and arrest.
"What is the difference between detention and arrest?
There's no difference. When you are detained that means you
are temporarily arrested and when your freedom is curbed, that
is arrest," she said.