The Government today justified Delhi Police refusal of permission for Anna Hazare's indefinite fast here in the absence of an undertaking by his team saying law of the land is equal for all and even political parties have to take permission for holding agitations.

“I do not want to say any harsh thing against anybody. The law of the land is equal for all. Be it Congress, any other political party or any citizen, we all have to take the permission of the law and order machinery to carry out any protest or march,” the Information and Broadcasting Minister, Ms Ambika Soni, told reporters here.

She said, “If anybody tries to violate it (law) knowingly” the law and order machinery will have to act.

Replying to questions on Anna team’s contention that its right to protest cannot be taken away, Ms Soni said everybody has got a right to protest but permission has to be sought keeping in mind law and order and other factors.

Ms Soni dismissed allegation of civil rights activist Mr Arvind Kejriwal that the police set the conditions on them at the behest of politicians saying any person making such allegation is “deliberately trying to mislead”.

She said if anybody wanted to end corruption, some mechanism will have to be built and wondered “why there is this panic and desperation. Why can’t we wait when we are going to take such a historic measure (bringing Lokpal).”

Ms Soni said MPs will also give their views on the Bill when it goes to Parliament. “Let us see what suggestions they give, what amendments they bring,” she said.

The police move to reject the application came soon after the Hazare team submitted an undertaking leaving six out of the 22 conditions laid out by Delhi Police for granting permission for the fast at the Jai Prakash Narain Park near Ferozeshah Kotla stadium here.

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