Government bows to public, but Hazare refuses to leave jail

Cowed by the massive and rapidly swelling protests across the country against the pre-emptive arrest of anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare along with his close associates and at least 1,500 supporters, the union government finally softened its stance and decided to release Hazare and company tonight itself.

Arrested this morning, Hazare had refused to sign any conditional bail bond before a magistrate; and was, earlier, remanded to seven days' judicial custody. He was later taken to Delhi's Tihar Jail, along with close supporters like former senior policewoman Kiran Bedi and activist lawyers Arvind Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan.

Delhi police sent a warrant to Tihar Jail for the release of Hazare and his supporters after withdrawing bail bond conditions. Bedi and Bhushan have already been released along with hundreds of other activists. But, according to reports at the time of publication, Hazare was refusing to leave jail.

The 73-year-old Hazare, a self-professed follower of Mahatma Gandhi and his system of peaceful protest, had earlier refused any food in Tihar Jail, saying he would continue his fast-unto-death behind bars unless the government gave a firm commitment to a comprehensive bill for an anti-graft watchdog.

His current position is that even if he is freed from jail, he will only carry on his 'satyagraha' outside, perhaps forcing the government to arrest him again. In any case, it will not affect his intentions, he says.

Rahul takes credit

On the disappointing side, it would seem that the government flip-flop did happen only because of the snowballing public protests. It came about after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recommending the release of the protestors.

Gandhi has been in the US for at least a week looking after his mother, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who has just undergone an operation there for an undisclosed ailment.

"It would seem that the Congress - including the prime minister and legitimate head of the country - can only dither around like a headless chicken without the controlling hand of the real rulers," cynically commented an old political reporter.