Anna Hazare gets civic body nod to hold protest in Delhi

New Delhi: Anna Hazare has been given permission by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to stage protest at the Ramlila Maidan from December 27. Mr Hazare had earlier announced that he will launch the agitation again at the end of the Winter Session of Parliament if a strong Lokpal Bill is not passed.

The activists, led by Mr Hazare had, applied to the MCD two days ago for allocation of the sprawling ground with a capacity of 30,000.

The permission had been sought to hold the protest from December 27 to January 5.

"We will hold the protest and it will be led by Hazare," a senior Team Anna member said.

However, they are yet to get a No Objection Certificate from Delhi Police without which they will not be able to hold the protest, he said, adding it was not yet decided whether Hazare will go on a fast.

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"The mode of protest will be finalised later," he said.

If the proposed protest takes place, it will be the third major stir in the national capital this year.

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The first one was at Jantar Mantar in April when Team Anna forced the government to set up a joint committee for drafting the bill.

Team Anna has been insisting that the lower bureaucracy, higher judiciary, provisions for Citizen Charter and setting up of Lokayuktas in state level be included in the ambit Lokpal Bill.

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During the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Mr Hazare sat on fast-unto-death at Ramlila Maidan in August for 13 days after a high-voltage 'who will blink first?' drama.