JOIN USAnna arrested, nation protests
According to late night reports, Hazare refused to leave Tihar Jail, where he was taken, unless the government agreed to let him fast on his terms.
The arrest sparked an outpouring of popular anger across the country, and political parties cutting across the ideological spectrum were united in their condemnation of the arrest.
From the BJP to the CPM, and even the CPI(ML), demanded that Hazare and his supporters be released forthwith. Thousands of people demonstrated in the streets of state capitals and other urban centres in support of the anti-corruption crusader.
By evening, the UPA government caved in. After defending the arrest throughout the day, by two ministers who have been star lawyers in the Supreme Court, Home Minister P Chidambaram and Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal, the government gave in to the all-round pressure and ordered the release of the activist, with the police withdrawing the cases against him.
As news spread of Hazare’s possible release from Tihar Jail, huge crowds that waited outside the jail for hours shouted slogans in his support.
In the morning, along with Hazare, police arrested an estimated 5,000 of his supporters who were demanding the institution of a strong Lokpal to curb corruption. The supporters came from different sections of society and ranged from young students to senior citizens.
The Gandhian had declared that he would go on an indefinite fast from Tuesday for which the police imposed a list of 22 conditions. Hazare agreed to 16 of them and refused to comply with six, following which the permission to hold fast at J P Park was withdrawn.
This was followed by clamping of Section 144 which prohibits of assembly of five persons or more in the area. Hazare was arrested by police around 7 am as he, his associate Arvind Kejriwal and a few others stepped out of a flat at Mayur Vihar where he is staying, to head for the JP Park where he and his supporters planned to stage their hunger strike. Supporters succeeded in blocking the police vehicle carrying Hazare for some time.
As his supporters waited at JP Park, the septuagenarian was taken to the Police Officers’ mess at Civil Lines. At around the same, Kiran Bedi and Shanti Bhushan were detained at Rajghat and were taken to Tihar jail.
At around 2 pm, Hazare was presented before the Special Executive Magistrate at Rajouri Garden where he was charged under Section 107 (apprehension of breach of peace and tranquility of an area) and Section 151 of the Criminal Procedure Code (arrest to prevent the commission of cognisable offences). Hazare refused to sign a bond and was remanded in judicial custody for seven days. Thereafter the anti-graft activist was, in a twist of irony, taken to Delhi’s Tihar Jail, which also houses those accused of corruption.
Other civil society leaders like Shanti Bhushan and Kiran Bedi, who were detained at Rajghat were taken to Tihar Jail and were released.
Widespread support
The arrest of the activist sparked off protests not just in Delhi but across the country, mainly in state capitals. Delhi saw spontaneous support against the arrest as people gathered at many locations which included the J P Park, the Chhatrasal stadium where Hazare was earlier said to have been taken, and later in front of Tihar Jail.
Thousands of supporters who courted arrest were taken to the stadium. Hundreds of youth gathered at the sprawling India Gate lawns in the evening to stage a candle-light march against the arrest.
* 7.20 am - Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal along with six others detained by police from an East Delhi flat where he was staying
* 7.20 to around 8.30 am - Supporters block way and the police vehicle is stuck in the East Delhi locality for nearly an hour
* Around 9 am - Kiran Bedi and Shanti Bhushan are detained at Rajghat
* Around 9.30 am - Hazare taken to Police Officers’ Mess at Civil Lines in North Delhi area
* 12 noon - In Parliament, Opposition parties protest the detention; both Houses
adjourned for the day
* Around 2 pm - Hazare is produced before a special executive magistrate at Rajouri Garden area of West Delhi. He refuses to sign a bond and is sent to 7-day judicial custody
* Around 3.45 pm - Hazare, Kejriwal and other supporters brought to Tihar Jail.
* 6.30 pm - Kiran Bedi, Shanti Bhushan released from detention
* Late evening - Government reconsiders Hazare’s arrest in view of public protests
* 9.30 pm - A police warrant reaches Tihar Jail, withdrawing cases against Hazare. He refuses to leave the jail, insisting that he be allowed to stage the fast on his terms