Union Information & Broadcasting minister Ambika Soni today expressed “full confidence” in the non-violent nature of Anna’s movement. She, however, justified the crackdown.
“I have full confidence in Anna’s movement.. I know they won’t resort to violence,” she said, asked about the arrest.
She, however, pointed out that any march, even if non-violent, can be infiltrated by outsiders and mischief-makers.
“Can anyone guarantee that someone from outside, three or four people, will not enter the rally and cause violence,” she said. “If something happens to someone, people will blame the police,” she added.
The Delhi Police, directly under the Central Government, arrested veteran Gandhian Anna Hazare and his followers at 8 am in the morning today.
The law under which Hazare has been arrested is not yet clear. Delhi government had imposed Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code at Hazare’s planned anti-corruption fast venue in Jai Prakash Narayan Park (JP Park.)
Section 144 is titled “Joining unlawful assembly armed with deadly weapon.”
It provides for up to two years in jail for anyone “armed with any deadly weapon, or with anything which, used as a weapon of offence, is likely to cause death” for joining an “unlawful assembly.”
However, Anna Hazare was arrested at Mayur Vihar area in Delhi, where the section was not imposed. He is currently being ferried to an unknown destination along with all this top followers, even as the protests have started in many cities.