India: Protests over arrest of Anna Hazare

Joining the 74-year-old Hazare’s crusade against corruption in southern city of Bangalore, Justice Santosh Hegde, former judge of Supreme Court of India and Lokayukta (state-level ombudsman) of Karnataka said in the name of Delhi Police, federal government had imposed this decision to detain Anna Hazare.“If there is a ban and if they have to impose 22 condition unprecedented conditions to prevent Annaji from starting his fast, then it is a decision of the DCP (Delhi Commissioner of Police), if Annaji has to arrested this early morning even before he committed any unlawful act, then it is the decision of DCP, till this morning. But I believe, that is what I was told that in the afternoon the central government Home Minister (Palaniappan Chidambaram) said it is a very painful decision but I had to take it. Who has taken the decision then? Is this central government or the local authorities? It can never be the local authorities,” said Justice N Santosh Hegde.Meanwhile, activists of main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at Mumbai in western India also voiced their support to Anna Hazare. Slamming the federal government, Rajan Singh, an activist of BJP said the government which itself is embroiled in multimillion dollar scams, does not have a moral right to comment on a veteran activist.“The government whose four ministers are in prison itself and even then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is still continuing, then what more is expected from them. What is the stature of Manish Tiwari, spokesperson of Congress party who himself is a goon,” said Rajan Singh.At least 1,200 followers Hazare were also detained, signalling a hard-line stance from Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh against anti-government protests, a gamble that risks a wider backlash against the ruling Congress party.