Students from various colleges took part in the demonstrations called by the Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in support of Anna Hazare's movement for the enactment of Lokpal Bill. The demonstration was part of a nationwide protest by the ABVP.
Students from three different colleges assembled at the Hampankatta Circle and formed a human chain. They stopped the movement of traffic for nearly 30 minutes. The students raised slogans in support of Anna Hazare's cause.
Mahesh M.R., ABVP's district co-convenor, said the ABVP would continue with the campaign against corruption regardless of the party that ruled the State and the Centre. The ABVP, Mr. Mahesh said, believed in having the Jan Lokpal that helped in combating corruption at higher levels of the administration. Students from the Karnataka Polytechnic and other colleges took part in the human chain formed at the Karnataka Polytechnic junction on the highway. The movement of vehicles on the highway was affected for nearly 30 minutes.
The Akhila Bharata Karmika Sangha's general secretary Sudatta Jain and district president Santosh Kavoor continued their fast for the fifth consecutive day on Friday. Mr. Jain and Mr. Kavoor have been on fast since Monday. The two along with other activists of the sangh were sitting near the office of the Deputy Commissioner.
Mr. Jain said since Thursday night, Mr. Kavoor and he were taking water. “We were advised to do so as we need to sustain this fast for a long period,” he said. He said that their fast would end only when Mr. Hazare ends his fast.
Rally taken out in support of Anna Hazare in Udupi
Udupi Staff Correspondent reports,
Students and lecturers of the Manipal Pre-University College staged a demonstration in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office here on Friday in support of Anna Hazare and an effective Lokpal Bill.
The protesters said they wanted the country to develop smoothly. All the people in the country were supporting Mr. Hazare, they said.
Student leaders Amogh, Nitin Nayak, and Nikhil; lecturers Kodankur Devaraj Murthy, Suryanarayana, Srinivasa A., and Hariprasad, were present.
Movement
The district unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) said the party had launched a movement against corruption.
In a release issued here on Friday, the Secretary of district CPI (M) unit K. Shankar said the problem of corruption was haunting the country.
The Centre was not serious about fighting corruption and hence, and had introduced a weak Lokpal Bill. The CPI (M) would create awareness among people on corruption, he said.
Campaign
The district Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Yuva Morcha would be sending a list of 98,000 signatures that it had collected in support of Mr. Hazare's movement and a strong Lokpal Bill to President Pratibha Patil.
The Morcha would take out a motorcycle rally from Malpe to Hosmar in the district in support of Mr. Hazare on August 28, Mr. Nayak said.
Support
The Udupi district unit of Karnataka State Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) Workers Association has supported the Jan Lokpal Bill of Team Anna. In a release issued here, the association stated that top-level bureaucracy and the corporate companies were the fountain-heads of corruption.
