Thaindian News

New Delhi, Aug 16 (IANS) In the wake of the arrest of anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare Tuesday, a petitioner moved the Delhi High Court seeking a direction to the government to earmark a spot in the national capital for holding peaceful protests.

Petitioner Abhishek Jain filed the petition through his lawyer Sugriv Dubey before a division bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Sanjiv Khanna. The court will hear the plea Wednesday.

The petitioner said the government was adopting a pick and choose policy for allowing protests.

“A pick and choose policy is arbitrary,” said the petitioner.

He demanded that there should be a designated place in the capital for holding peaceful protests.

Referring to the denial of permission for Hazare’s protest, he said the government had violated the fundamental rights of citizens.

After his detention early Tuesday, Hazare was formally arrested and remanded to judicial custody for seven days when he refused to give a personal bond for his release.

Hazare, who was held on the apprehension of breach of peace following his intention to defy prohibitory orders and go on an indefinite hunger strike, was produced before a special executive magistrate in the afternoon.

In an early morning crackdown, Hazare and his close aides were detained by police after the Gandhian vowed to go ahead with his fast for a strong Lokpal Bill and defy prohibitory orders at the venue of his agitation.