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Govt duty-bound to maintain peace: PM

Fast and the fury: Congress leadership hiding behind men in uniform, says Opposition
Last Updated 17 August 2011, 19:04 IST

Conceding the demand of opposition parties who have joined hands to pin down the Congress-led UPA government to make a statement, Singh told the Lok Sabha that the path he (Hazare) has chosen to impose his draft bill upon Parliament is totally misconceived and fraught with grave consequences for parliamentary democracy.

“Our government does not seek any confrontation with any section of society. But, when some sections of society deliberately challenge the authority of the government and the prerogative of Parliament, it is the bounden duty of the government to maintain peace and tranquility,” he said.

The prime minister said the Delhi police had “no choice” but to arrest the 74-year-old Gandhian who said he would defy prohibitory orders by holding a protest at JP Park in Delhi on Tuesday. 

Singh said in both Houses that while his government “acknowledges the right of citizens to hold peaceful protests, conditions imposed by the police have to be observed.”

He said there was no constitutional philosophy that allows anyone to question the prerogative of Parliament to make a law. “Those who believe that their voice and their voice alone represents the will of 1.2 billion people should reflect deeply on that position.

They must allow the elected representatives of the people in Parliament to do the job that they were elected for,” he said.

Reiterating the stand of the government, the prime minister said Hazare was arrested after the police came to the conclusion that he and his followers would commit a cognizable offence and there was “a likelihood of a breach of peace.”  

The prime minister was constantly heckled by the opposition who rejected his statement saying it was totally disappointing.

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(Published 17 August 2011, 05:52 IST)

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