Various organisations and groups observed the 68th anniversary of the Quit India Movement, the civil disobedience movement launched in August 1942, here on Monday.
The Bruhat Bangalore Managar Palike (BBMP) paid tributes to martyrs and freedom fighters who had taken part in the movement.
On the occasion, Mayor S.K. Nataraj garlanded the Gandhi Statue on M.G. Road.
Prayers were offered by leaders of various creeds, starting with the rendition of the Gita Vachana, followed by the recitation of the Bible, Guru Granth Sahib and the Quran.
Deputy Mayor N. Dayanand and Commissioner Siddaiah were present.
‘Corruption, quit India'
On the other hand, the Jayaprakash Narayan Vichara Vedike, along with the Anti-Corruption Organisation, took out a rally from Mysore Bank Circle to Bannappa Park in protest against what they called the “State Government's corruptive methods”.
Addressing the rally, vedike president B.M. Shiva Kumar spoke of attitudinal changes from those days to the present. “In those days, people sacrificed their lives for the nation. But today, people are not even bothered about tackling corruption,” he said.
Divide and rule
Mr. Kumar accused politicians of engaging in divide and rule. “Our soldiers forget their caste, creed, religion and race and fight for the nation. But our politicians divide people into different categories for their own gain,” he said and added that religious heads can play an important role in bringing awareness against corruption.
Freedom fighter H.S. Doreswamy and political leaders S.K. Kantha and A.T. Ramaswamy were present.
