How Team Anna worked overnight for a hard bargain with Delhi cops

A lot of behind the screen drama took place before Team Anna could be coaxed into an agreement to hold protest at the Ramlila Maidan for 15 days and signed a 22 point undertaking with the Delhi Police.

An agreement would have been reached on Wednesday night itself but for Arvind Kejriwal, a key negotiator in Team Anna, sources privy to the negotiations said. He was firm demanding permission for at least a month-long protest.

“Kejriwal perhaps wanted to take the protest to Dussehra holidays that would have swelled the crowds automatically. Intelligence Bureau reports put the strength of nationwide pro-Anna rallies around 98,000 but the agitation was made to look huge because of extensive television coverage,” sources in the home ministry said.

The other four members — Kiran Bedi, Prashant Bhushan, Shashi Bhushan and Anna Hazare — had on Wednesday night agreed to limit the protest to seven days. When a solution could not be arrived at because of Kejriwal, both sides decided to negotiate again on Thursday.

The Delhi Police yielded on Thursday. It agreed to extend permission for 10 days first and then finally for 15 days but Kejriwal continued to hold his ground. An agreement was reached finally in the afternoon with Hazare, Bedi, and both Bhushans signing the undertaking and Kejriwal opting out.

As per the undertaking Neeraj Kumar, Manish Sisodia and Swati have been appointed to liaison with the Delhi Police.

The conditions also include organisers to be prosecuted as per law if they fail to control the supporters; no provocative speeches; no carrying of lathis and armaments;loudspeakers not to be used after 10 pm; medical examination of people on fast by government doctor thrice a day; participants to comply with all lawful directions of the police and organisers to ensure that public gathering should not exceed the capacity of the venue.

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