Tuesday 16 August 2011

At least 1,200 detained in Indian crackdown, minister says

At least 1,200 detained in Indian crackdown, minister says




Followers of Indian social activist Anna Hazare shout slogans as they take part in a rally in Hyderabad on Tuesday, in support of the arrested campaigner. AFP photo



Followers of Indian social activist Anna Hazare shout slogans as they take part in a rally in Hyderabad on Tuesday, in support of the arrested campaigner. 

Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram said Tuesday that at least 1,200 people had been taken into custody in New Delhi as police acted to halt a hunger strike by a veteran anti-graft activist.
"A little over 1,200 or 1,300 people have been detained at different places," Chidambaram told reporters, adding that "we are not prohibiting a peaceful democratic protest".
He said the detentions had been due to protesters refusing to obey police conditions over the demonstration led by hunger striker Anna Hazare, who was among those held.
Police had told organizers that the high-profile rally at a public park in Delhi would be limited to 4-5,000 people and that it could only last three days.
Hazare's planned protest was to pressure the government into strengthening a new anti-corruption law.

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