People took to the streets in the city to protest against the detention of social activist Anna Hazare, who was to go on indefinite fast for a stronger Lokpal bill to tackle the menace of corruption on Tuesday.
The civil society organisations like the Poura Samaja Vedika and Samachara Hakku Prachara Ikya Vedika, political parties CPI, Lok Satta Party and AIYF vehemently opposed the arrest of Mr. Hazare.
They staged instantaneous protests against the arrest and called upon the Government to withdraw the repressive measures and hold a dialogue with the civil society group.
ADVERTISEMENT
The people dubbed the detention as murder of democracy and said it was a rehearsal of emergency which the people would never tolerate.
The detentions were an attack on democratic rights of people which the Government should reconsider, speakers said at every meeting.
Questioning the rationale behind government's argument that the Lokpal bill was in Parliament and there can be no protests, they pointed out that many bills like Women's Reservation bill were before Parliament and there were so many protests over them. But, the Government never accused them even once, they pointed out.
ADVERTISEMENT
They asserted that they would continue their protest and agitations until the Government heeded to the demand for a Jan Lokpal bill. The protesters raised slogans such as ‘Anna we are with you, ‘eliminate corruption'.
Former Minister Vadde Shobhanadreeswara Rao inaugurated a relay hunger strike organised by Poura Samaja Vedika near Bandar Lakulu Centre here. Vedika leaders said that mahila satyagraha camp would be organised near Ramamohan Rao library on Bandar Road on Wednesday and students' hunger strike on Thursday.
The CPI city secretary K. Subba Raju said that his party would organise a dharna to protest the detention of Mr. Hazare at Lenin Centre here on Wednesday.
The arrest Hazare in New Delhi, evoked protests in Guntur town with scores of senior citizens and students under the aegis of Avagahana taking out a rally on the main road on Tuesday.
Condemning the arrest, students stopped traffic at the busy Sankar Vilas Centre. Avagahana secretary Konda Sivarami Reddy slammed the arrest calling it a black day in the history of India and called for his immediate release to resume his peaceful fast.
“The arrest is an indication of growing intolerance to peaceful forms of protest in the country. We demand that the Centre should come with a strong Jan Lokpal bill that should include Prime Minister and others in its ambit,'' Mr. Reddy said.
Meanwhile, the nation-wide movement against graft is catching on the campus of Acharya Nagarjuna University. Yuva 20:20 vision society, formed by students, had pledged to undertake an indefinite fast expressing solidarity with the protest by Anna Hazare.
Revanth Kumar, president of the society, in a press release on Tuesday said that students were keen to take part in the protest.
Telugu Desam youth wing too launched protests across the district condemning the arrest of Anna Hazare.