People across India take to the streets to protest against the detention of social activist Anna Hazare and his supporters in New Delhi. KolkataFollowing Anna's detention, an NGO "Help us Help them" is going to observe a silent protest in the city. "This is
horrid and unacceptable. It is against our democratic polity. We are all free to demonstrate in a peaceful manner. Anna is fighting for our country, for the well being of all its citizens. We should all unite to support him. Our NGO is supporting his cause. We will be having a peaceful demonstration today," said Mukti Gupta, the secretary of the organisation. The youngsters of the city have also planned to support the protest. "Anna came as a special guest in a television show on Friday. He requested all the Indians to support him by standing out of their houses at 8pm today. My friends and I have decided to follow his wishes," said Priyanka Sau, a resident of Bally in Howrah district.
ChennaiPeople in Chennai gathered to support social activist Anna Hazare's demand for a strong anti-corruption bill, said the India Against Corruption (IAC), which backs the leader.
"With Anna Hazare being detained by Delhi Police, we will soon decide on the issue of courting arrest," media coordinator for IAC Bhavana Upadhyaya told IANS.
Freedom fighter Lakshmikanthan Bharathi, 85, began his fast. Ninety-year-old Venkata Kalyanam, former personal secretary to Mahatma Gandhi, is also expected to join.
Corporate executives, software professionals, media artistes and small businessmen are at the venue of fast in south Chennai, Upadhyaya said.
LucknowPeople across various age groups and different walks of life held demonstrations in this Uttar Pradesh capital to protest the detention of Anna Hazare.
People held protests at several places, including Hazratganj, Gomti Nagar, Aliganj and Vikas Nagar.
Shouting anti-graft slogans, people condemned the Delhi Police action against Hazare, who was detained Tuesday morning, hours before his planned fast against a proposed anti-corruption bill.
Himachal PradeshSeveral activists began an indefinite hunger strike in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi town to press for a strong anti-corruption lokpal bill and express solidarity with civil society leader Anna Hazare, who was detained early morning.
"As per the scheduled programme, we have started our fast in support of a strong Lokpal bill. Since police have arrested Anna, we have decided to go as per previous plan. If needed, we will court arrest," RTI activist Lawan Thakur told IANS from Mandi.
He said Anna's arrest was regrettable and condemnable.
MaharashtraResidents of Anna Hazare's village Ralegan Siddhi took to the streets to protest the detention of the anti-corruption crusader in New Delhi. There were demonstrations in Pune and Mumbai too.
Scores of people trooped out of their homes soon after news of the arrest of Hazare and his team members reached the village, about 230 km from Mumbai. There was a spontaneous shutdown in the village.
Flaying the arrests, many villagers, including women, marched to the local Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation bus depot and raised slogans against the government.
The state police had deployed tight security in the village and all the roads leading to it from Pune, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad and Nashik.
While thousands of activists staged a march in Pune, a large number of protestors started gathering near Dadar in Mumbai to chart out the further course of action.
The main agitation is planned at Azad Maidan in Mumbai later Tuesday where prominent activists, including Medha Patkar, are expected to congregate.
OrissaHundreds of Hazare's supporters held deomonstrations and rallies in protest against his arrest in Bhubaneswar and other cities of Orissa.
In Bhubaneswar, senior citizens, lawyers, social activists and students held demonstrations at several places to show their solidarity with Hazare. "Hazare's arrest reminds one of the emergency in 1975 when democratic rights were throttled by the political establishment," said Rabi Das, convenor of Jan Sammelani.
In Sambapur, about 300 activists held a motorcycle rally demanding Hazare's release and a strong janlokpal bill.
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