Dentists and students from the Indian Dental Association (IDA), Mangalore branch, extended their support to Anna Hazare's fast-unto-death demanding a strict anti-corruption law, after a protest meet held here on Friday.
The doctors presented a memorandum to Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Subodh Yadav after their protest meet against corruption. The memorandum requests the Prime Minister to consider the demands of Anna Hazare, said Amarshree Shetty, Reader, A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences.
The Deputy Commissioner has promised to forward the memorandum to the Prime Minister, said Dr. Shetty, Vice-President, IDA, Dakshina Kannada. He said: “We are civilians who experience corruption in day-to-day life. The doctors here have extended their support to Anna Hazare.”
She said 200 to 250 staff, undergraduate and postgraduate students and local IDA practitioners had participated in the protest meet. They were from A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, A.J. Institute of Dental Sciences and Yenepoya Dental College.
The protesting doctors took permission from their respective colleges to attend the meet. “As all of us are from the medical profession, we cannot just go away from work. Some other doctors are attending to the patients while we are here,” said Dr. Amarshree Shetty.
Vedike's demonstration
The Karnataka Rakshana Vedike staged a demonstration in support of Mr. Hazare's indefinite fast to pressure the Government into passing a Lokpal Bill. They were joined by members of the public, who came from different walks of life. The demonstrators, numbering around 30, raised slogans to fight corruption and formed a circle around the Hamilton Circle. When Sub-Inspector Bharati told them to wind up the protest soon as they had no permission to form such a ring and block traffic, a member of the vedike vociferously protested. He urged the officer to join the protest. “Even you should join us as a member of the public,” he said. They burnt an effigy of a “corrupt politician”.
Support in Udupi
Udupi Staff Correspondent reports:
Various organisations, led by Udupi Consumers' Forum, staged a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office in support of the fast unto death undertaken by social activist Anna Hazare in New Delhi demanding an independent ombudsman to check corruption here on Friday.
Trustee of the forum Shantharaj Aithal, District Minorities Forum president Khatib Rasheed, Secretary of State unit of Humanitarian Relief Society Akbar Ali, Secretary of Railway Yatri Sangha Lidwin Pinto, and leaders of various other organizations were present.
