Protests spread across Karnataka against Anna Hazare's detention

Coastal and Malnad districts joined the anti-corruption movement on Tuesday, undertaking a dawn-to-dusk fast. This happened even as Anna Hazare, the 74-year-old social activist and Padma Bhushan awardee, was taken into custody in the national capital ahead of his indefinite fast, set to begin on Tuesday.

"We cannot trust politicians anymore. We need a strong citizens' movement to stop corrupt politicians from usurping national resources for selfish ends," was the chorus of those who joined the movement in coastal and Malnad districts.

TR Bhat, who has emerged leader of the anti-corruption movement in Mangalore, said, "Politicians have been elected to Parliament and other forms of legislative bodies to make rules, not break them and make money for themselves. The mandate given to them was to govern judiciously, not wreck the country's resources."

Bhat added, "Several bills pertaining to large money-spinning businesses like the Mangalore Special Economic Zone were passed without a whimper of protest. If this is not corruption, what is?"
The Dakshina Kannada Anti Corruption Forum, an umbrella organization under which 40 different bodies have come together, represents the second-largest group of protesters in any city in the state, after Bangalore.

Veteran freedom fighter Namadev Shenoy threw his weight behind the movement, giving the morale of agitators a shot in the arm.

'I went to jail when I was 7'
Namadev Shenoy said, "The present situation reminds me of the freedom struggle. When I was just seven years old, I went to jail for raising slogans against British rule. I feel we are now fighting a second freedom struggle. This time, we fight against the tyranny and corruption of our own people."

Udupi students join movement
In Udupi, social activist Nityananda Volakad collected over 400 students under the Nagarika Samithi of Udupi district and marched to the deputy commissioner's office from Kunjibettu, holding a large national tricolor. A memorandum was sent to the president of India through the deputy commissioner.

Villagers protest against arrest
In Inna, a small village in Karkala taluk, over 200 people sat on a dharna and protested the detention of Anna Hazare on Tuesday. Many villagers sang patriotic songs and fasted the whole day. They squatted by the side of the Padubidri-Karkala state highway.

Dharna in Karwar
In Karwar, the Uttara Kannada Anti-Corruption Vedike staged a dharna in front of the district office. The Vedike is an amalgamation of 23 social organisations that included environmental activists, RTI activists, advocates, writers, former judges, businessmen, teachers and students.

Sit-in in Mysore
Over 200 people sat on a dharna at Gandhi Square, overlooking the historic clock tower. Many people visited the site and extended support to the protesters.

Many intellectuals, writers and activists including SG Vombatkere, Dr Prabhushankar, Dr MS Nagaraja Rao, Vasanthkumar Mysoremath, B Nagendra, H Basavaraj, Surendran and others were part of the movement.