Police Action on Ramdev-I

The People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) strongly condemns the midnight crackdown on thousands of people staging a satyagraha and hunger strike at New Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan with Baba Ramdev for demands related to corruption and black money. The attack on the protesters was absolutely unwarranted as the satyagraha was neither causing any law and order problems nor was it disrupting the peace of the city in any manner.

Independent of the nature of the politics they may espouse, individuals and organisations have the right to stage peaceful protests. Such an assault would not have taken place without consent from the highest levels of the government. This d eplorable attack is yet another instance of the government showing scant regard for basic democratic rights and values.