Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare is gearing up for yet another protest at the Ramlia Maidan. The members of the Hazare-led India Against Corruption (IAC) said if the Lokpal Bill is not passed in Parliament's winter session, they will once again hold a protest.
The IAC has booked the
Ramlila Maidan from December 27 to January 5 with the MCD.
"The winter session will get over on December 22. If the bill is not passed, we will need another five days to make arrangements for the protest. We have, thus, applied for permission for 10 days," Neeraj, a member of IAC, said.
IAC members said it would have been difficult for MCD to arrange the ground at a short notice. "We haven't decided yet whether it will be a fast or an agitation but Anna Hazare will lead the protest," Neeraj added. Team Anna had earlier applied for permission to hold dharna for 15 days from January 1 to January 15.
"The ground was already booked from January 6 to January 9. So, we asked them to shift the dates. They finalised the dates on Sunday and we will give them documents from our side for the dharna," a senior officer of MCD's horticulture department said. But IAC will now have to apply with Delhi Police for the NOC. "We will apply for the Delhi Police's NOC on Monday," Neeraj added.
Last time, Delhi Police had played spoilsport in Hazare's fast and refused to give NOC in August this year. It was only after Hazare sat on a fast inside Tihar jail that the permission was granted.