Support for Anna unabated

HUBLI: Normal life was hit to a certain extent in the city on Wednesday as thousands of people especially students and lawyers took to the streets pledging their support to Anna Hazare, who is fighting for a strong Lokpal bill.

Traffic came to a grinding halt in some places. K C Circle, the heart of the city, was abuzz with activities all through the day as most of the protests were either held there or passed through from there. Activities came to a halt in majority of colleges and judicial courts as students and lawyers were part of a series of processions that took place during the day. The city witnessed more than a dozen marches in support of the cause of Gandhian-activist.

ABVP activists were seen asking the college authorities to allow their students take part in the protests. Educational institutions including BVB college of engineering and technology, P C Jabin College, H S Kotambri college, Kanakadasa Women Polytechnic, Mahila Vidyapeeta, Oxford College, JG Commerce college, Fatima College, Chetana College, Global College, Sukruti college and Adarsh college did not function.

ABVP office bearer Raghu Akmunchi who was part of a protest said they condemn the Centre for arresting Hazare and demanded for a strong Lokpal bill. Karnataka Rakshana Vedike activists burnt effigies of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and shouted slogans against the Centre.

Around 100 advocates who held a protest march submitted a memorandum to tahshildar.

Members of Anna Hazare Abhimanigala Sangh who took out a procession burnt the effigies of PM Manmohan Singh, ministers P Chidambaram and Kapil Sibal at KC Circle. Members of CPI and JD U) parties also held processions and submitted memoranda to the tahshildar.

Around 50 women BJP workers who staged a protest in city were arrested and released by police. The India Anti Corruption (IAC) held a candle march at Ambedkar's circle.

Sri Gurusiddarajayogi Mahaswami of Moorusavira mutt, along with his followers staged a protest march from the mutt premises to Durgadbail.