Anna Hazares arrest sparks protests in AP

HYDERABAD: Emotionally-charged youth, workers of political parties and members of civil society rallied behind Anna Hazare’s movement for a stronger Jan Lok Pal Bill and protested against his arrest by organising rallies, forming `human chains’ and conducting deekshas in the state capital and across the rest of the state.Youngsters and civil society representatives alike, coming under the banner of `India Against Corruption’, sat on a day-long dharna near Indira Park here demanding a stronger Jan Lok Pal Bill. They also demanded immediate release of Hazare and all his supporters who were arrested in Delhi prior to their fast.‘‘Reject Government’s Lok Pal Bill, Demand Jan Lok Pal Bill,’’ read a slogan as youngsters with  banners and slogans rallied near the Dharna Chowk as civil society representatives sat on a dharna. “It is time we put an end to corruption. Politicians have been looting the nation since Independence and we won’t allow them to loot public money anymore,’’ said an IT professional. The youth vented their anger on the government for launching a smear campaign against Anna Hazare and for the swoop-down on his team. “The government has showed that it is corrupt and it does not want to end graft by levelling allegations against Anna Hazare. If Anna Hazare is really corrupt or dishonest, let the government prove it and punish him,’’ another youth said.The anti-graft volunteers wanted to make the protest non-political and made it clear when BJP senior leader Bandaru Dattatreya visited the venue. He was greeted with slogans of ‘Go Back, Politicians’ forcing him to make a hasty retreat.Mild commotion took place when Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) chairman M Kodandaram visited the venue to extend his support.The civil society representatives picked up an argument with Kodandaram which ended up in a mild commotion as the latter’s followers came to his support.Police brought the situation under control.Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad activists formed a human chain at Uppal and blocked traffic there in protest against Hazare’s arrest.“We demand a stronger Lok Pal Bill.The youth of this nation will go to any extent to oust the corrupt UPA government,’’ ABVP national secretary T Ramakrishna said.Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of VHP, also staged a protest at the Ambedkar statue. “The sucessive Congress governments have indulged in corruption since Independence. They have even compromised on the country’s defence by receiving huge kickbacks for purchase of weapons and uniforms for security personnel,’’ Bajrang Dal city president N Vinod alleged, adding that it was a shame that Anna and his team were lodged in the same jail where corrupt ministers and politicians such as A Raja and Suresh Kalmadi were lodged.Anna Hazare’s arrest sparked instant protests across the state. Students and people of all ages and political affiliation came out on the roads to stage protests against Anna Hazare’s arrest and support the anti-corruption movement.