Lawsuit against Hazare's arrest ready to be filed in Supreme Court
16 Aug 2011
A lawsuit is ready to be filed in the Supreme Court raising the fundamental issues of ''freedom'' and the right to peaceful struggle that are ''in jeopardy'' due to the UPA government's curb on Anna Hazare's movement.
The 'right to protest' is a fundamental guarantee under the Constitution, says the draft of the writ petition that will be moved before the apex court. The draft was prepared in anticipation of Hazare's arrest. (See: Delhi Police arrest Hazare, supporters on 'fast day')
DNA newspaper cited a lawyer well-versed in constitutional law and possibly privy to the petition's contents as saying, ''We will seek the apex court's intervention soon after Anna and his supporters are restrained by the police from observing fast for a strong lokpal law.''
Refraining from disclosing the other issues highlighted in the petition, the lawyer said an executive order that violates the right to equality, liberty or speech and expression is unconstitutional.
Meanwhile, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party was quick to slam Hazare's arrest, saying the government would ''learn its lesson the hard way".
"It is regrettable and condemnable. This government is bent upon crushing anyone who wants to protest against corruption," BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
