Updated at 12 Noon:
Following the arrest of Anna Hazare Protests planned across major cities
(Agencies)
New Delhi, 16 August 2011: As news of anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare’s detention and then arrest spread, supporters in cities across the country began to come out to protest - many to court arrest.
In Mumbai, 50 people have been detained in the Khar Ghar area of Navi Mumbai, 15 in Matunga.
In Bangalore, a counter has been set up at the Freedom Park, where people are signing up to be part of the India Against Corruption movement of which Mr Hazare is a leading light.
Supporters have announced that hundreds of students at the Indian Institute of Science will skip lunch to show solidarity with Mr Hazare. There are protests planned in other parts of the city.
Meanwhile, people turned out in large numbers in the Salt Lake area in Kolkata in support of the veteran activist.
In Delhi, at JP Park, where Anna was to sit on fast, protesters have been pouring in ready to court arrest. Delhi Police has imposed Section 144 at several places in the Capital, including central Delhi, JP Park, Rajghat and Dilli Gate. At Rajghat, the police is not allowing people to gather in large numbers. Any large groups are being disbanded, put in buses and taken away to Chhatrasal Stadium in Model Town, north Delhi.
Activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan said youth from Delhi University would court arrest at 12.30 pm outside the Chhatrasal stadium. And that at 4pm today, protesters would march from the Pragati Maidan metro station to JP Park, where Anna Hazare was to have fasted today. He said wherever the protesters were stopped, they would sit on dharna.
He also announced that on 4 pm on Wednesday, a big march would be organized from India Gate to Parliament House. He appealed to all people to join the march and asked government employees to take mass leave for a day.
Team Anna has asked people to wear black bands and to use social media and SMSes to help gather more people.
Update at 8.30 am:
Anna Hazare, Bedi, Kejriwal arrested; police foil protest plan
(Agencies)
Anna Hazare, Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal have been arrested. He was arrested from his residence at Mayur Vihar in New Delhi today under Section 65. He is being taken to Civil Lines. Hazare was supposed to begin his fast at Rajghat from 9am. Anna is being taken away in an Innova car by the Delhi Police toward Chhatrasal Stadium, reports say. Kiran Bedi was arrested from Raj Ghat. Anna has declared that he will begin his fast at 10 am.
Arvind kejriwal and Anna Hazare being taken to Civil LInes police station.
Late Monday, 50 of Hazare’s supporters were detained for gathering at the proposed JP Park venue of the protest for violating prohibitory orders, the police said.
A lokpal bill incorporating several suggestions by the Anna Camp is currently in Parliament but the activists said nothing less than a complete acceptance of their version is acceptable.
Anna Hazare detained by police prior to his fast:
New Delhi, 16 August 2011: Prior to his fast against crruption and a weak Lokpal Bill that the governement had introduced by the Government in the Lok Sabha, Anna Hazare was detained early in the morning of Tuesday, August 16, 2011. A large number of supporters of Anna Hazare follwed the car in which Anna Hazare was taken to an undisclosed destination. Arvind Kejriwal also courted arrest at Mayur Vihar.
On his arrest, Anna Hazare made an appeal to the people to keep the protest peaceful and not to resort to violence. Not too destroy public or private property and not to cause inconvenience to common people. He said that the ’Second freedm struggle’ has started.Though he is arrested, there are other leaders who will guide the people how to carry on the struggle.