A group of Anna Hazare supporters today held a protest outside a government facility in Civil Lines area of North Delhi where the Gandhian and lawyer Shanti Bhushan were brought following their detention.
The protesters, who shouted anti-government slogans and termed the police action as “totally unconstitutional”, were detained by police as they did not heed to police’s direction to disperse.
Earlier, shouting slogans against the Congress Government at the Centre, the protesters sat on a dharna on the road leading to the Police Mess complex where Mr Hazare and Mr Bhushan are being kept.
“This is highly condemnable. This Congress Government should go. They are not allowing protest which is our democratic right,” said Mr Akash Sharma, a software professional.
Some protesters, who refused to get up from the road, were forcibly lifted and taken into custody.
Besides Mr Hazare and Mr Bhushan, two other prominent activists Mr Arvind Kejriwal and Ms Kiran Bedi were taken into preventing custody this morning.
The Police had erected barricades on both sides of the road leading to Civil Lines Police Mess, besides making heavy deployment of its personnel.
Demanding the release of Mr Hazare, Mr Kejriwal, Ms Bedi and Mr Bhushan, the protestors shouted slogans like ‘We salute Anna Hazare’, ‘Weed out corrupt system’ and ‘Save the country from corrupt politicians’.
“This is a well planned strategy by the government. Barricades have been put up here before Hazare was detained. They are trying to stifle democracy,” said Mr Kishan Chowdhry, a resident of Adarsh Nagar, who came to protest outside the police mess.