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Debate needed on Ramlila crackdown judgment: Advani

By IANS,

New Delhi : Expressing concern over aspects of the Supreme Court judgment on the crackdown at Baba Ramdev’s rally in Ramlila ground last year, Bharatiya Janata Party leader L. K. Advani Sunday called for extensive debate on the matter.

In his latest blog published Sunday, Advani endorsed party leader’s Arun Jaitley stand on the need for reconsideration of the latter part of the judgement.

“The judgement of the Supreme Court lays down a landmark law inasmuch as it upholds the right to protest as a fundamental right of speech and to assemble,” Advani said, quoting Jaitley.

“However, it shakes the foundation of the fundamental right by laying down a highly doubtful proposition that once the right to protest is denied, the protester must meekly accept the denial or run the risk of contributory negligence to the police oppression,” he said.

“This part of the judgement requires to be extensively debated and possibly reconsidered,” he said.

The apex court in its verdict last week, held both Baba Ramdev and Delhi Police guilty of negligence in connection with the midnight crackdown on yoga guru’s followers at the Ramlila Maidan on June 4-5 last year during his anti-corruption agitation.