Team Anna will protest at Azad Maidan, not BKC

South Mumbai will be at the centre of action by the end of this month as Anna Hazare’s agitation for a stronger Lokpal Bill will be most likely held at Azad Maidan.

South Mumbai will be at the centre of action by the end of this month as Anna Hazare’s agitation for a stronger Lokpal Bill will be most likely held at Azad Maidan.

HT Image

The agitation is to be held from December 27 to 29, while the Jail Bharo Andolan is scheduled from December 30 to January 1, which has the police concerned as it coincides with the New Year and could lead to chaos in the island city.

On Thursday, the first day for the jail bharo registration, 1,390 citizens signed up.

After Hazare decided to relocate the anti-corruption campaign to Mumbai from Delhi (the Capital is very cold), India Against Corruption (IAC) considered holding the agitation at the Bandra-Kurla Complex ground, but it found the venue too expensive.

The IAC’s Mumbai unit on Thursday filed a writ petition against the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, which owns the ground, and the state for the high charges. The IAC wants permission from Bombay High Court to hold the rally free of cost.

“The petition seeks intervention for the high charges levied,” said Praful Vora, petitioner, conveyor of Jagrut Nagrik Manch and IAC volunteer. It will be heard on Friday.

The police said the IAC would get permission to use Azad Maidan if it limits the protesters to 4,000. “We have only 1,000 volunteers, but we can’t stop supporters from joining in,” said Vora.