Thaindian News

Bangalore, Aug 20 (IANS) A group of visually challenged students, traders, small screen artistes and software professionals Saturday took out rallies in Karnataka supporting activist Anna Hazare’s campaign against corruption.

Scores of visually challenged students joined hundreds of people at Freedom Park in Bangalore city centre for a rally demanding acceptance of the Jan Lokpal bill proposed by Hazare and his team of civil society members.

Former Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde remained an active participant in the rallies at Freedom Park for the fifth day, addressing the gathering and answering their questions on difference between the Jan Lokpal bill and the Lokpal Bill, 2011 introduced in parliament by the government.

Freedom Park, which earlier housed the city’s central prison, is the venue of rallies and meetings since five days, coinciding with Hazare’s fast that began Aug 16 in New Delhi for a stronger Lokpal Bill.

A large group of software professionals gathered at Krishnaraja Circle and marched to Freedom Park, half-a-km away, carrying placards and shouting slogans in support of Hazare’s campaign.

Small screen artistes came in a separate procession to Freedom Park to express their solidarity.

Traders in electronic goods, in one of the main shopping area of the city, downed shutters for three hours from 9 a.m. and took out a rally in their area.

Rallies by school and college students and people from other walks of life continued in all the 30 districts of the state.

Hazare began his fast Tuesday when he was taken to the Tihar Jail and released the same day — but he refused to move out. He came out of the prison Friday and continued his fast at the Ramlila Ground in Delhi.