Centre has no role in Anna’s arrest: Ambika

Agencies

New Delhi, 16 August 2011: Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni on Tuesday claimed that no instructions were issued to Delhi Police by the Central Government to arrest Anna Hazare and his supporters. Soni addressed the media after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee of Political Affairs that was called to discuss the arrest of Hazare and his supporters on Tuesday morning.

 

"Delhi Police are not working under any political pressure. Whenever Parliament is in session, due to security reasons Section 144 is imposed. So our suggestion is to keep all the protests and fasts after the session is over," said Soni.

 

Soni defended the arrest of Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi, Shanti Bhushan and Manish Sisodia saying that law enforcement authorities should be allowed to do their job. "Everyone have to respect the law of the country," she said.

 

She added that going ahead with protests and fasts when the Lokpal Bill has already been introduced in Parliament was not justified.

 

"For the first time the Prime Minister addressed the nation and spoke about these issues. He talked about how government is taking steps (to tackle corruption). If there is any problem with the Lokpal Bill the MPs will move amendments," she said.