Protest against Anna demands

Members of the Constitutional Agitation Against Corruption and other like-minded groups met at Azad Maidan on Friday to oppose the Anna Hazare-led anti-graft movement.

Members of the Constitutional Agitation Against Corruption and other like-minded groups met at Azad Maidan on Friday to oppose the Anna Hazare-led anti-graft movement. Around two hundred members of the organisation waved blue flags,which they called Ambedkar flags,and said that Team Anna must be held accountable for holding the country to ransom.

Sunil Khobragade,convenor of the organisation,said those claiming to fight corruption in the country should be allowed to do so,but they should remember that the Constitution is supreme. Team Anna has adopted an anti-constitutional way of protesting. Hunger strikes and armtwisting the government is not the way to get your demands met. They are holding the government to ransom.

Khobragade said any reference to modifying the Constitution was an insult to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. There are procedures for amending the Constitution. The Parliament has the right to do that. We must not dictate terms.

Sensing that there may be a possibility of the groups clashing,the police reportedly asked members of the organisation to hold their protests at the second gate and not in the part where members of Anna Hazare’s team were protesting.

Meanwhile,the 11th day of the protests saw protesters gathering at Azad Maidan being constantly updated about events at the Ramlila Ground in Delhi and also of what was happening in Parliament.

Mayank Gandhi,Mumbai co-ordinator of India Against Corruption,ensured that the masses present were informed of events occurring in Delhi. Saying what Rahul Gandhi had said in Parliament,Gandhi said,His idea to set up a constitutional body is just time buying tactics. The government is not at all serious about battling corruption. We must show them that we are serious and will not back down on our demands.

Gandhi said Anna’s health was a matter of concern. This is a people’s movement. We are here to demand our rights. If our demands are not met and if Anna does not call off his fast soon,we will come out on the streets and show how many people are siding with us in this non-violent effort.

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The medical reports of those who have been on an indefinite hunger strike since the first day of fast came on Friday. The medical reports of all 17 people on hunger strike are normal. They are weak since they have not had food for nearly two weeks,but they are stable, said Dr Kalpana Kamani.

Incidentally,the police stopped everyone who carried a bag to Azad Maidan . This is the 11th day of the protests. This is just a routine measure to ensure security,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1) Chhering Dorje.

The protesters have planned a rally from Mumbai to Hazare’s village Ralegan Siddhi on Saturday if he does not call off his fast by then.

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