Few takers for anti-graft protest

LUCKNOW: Team Anna's antigraft fast received a lukewarm response in
the state capital on Wednesday failing to draw a crowd worth a mention
to the venue in front of the Vidhan Bhawan. The organisers were quick
to attribute the thin crowd to rainy weather.

DEEPAK/HT Only a handful people were seen in support of Anna Hazare at
the protest venue in front of the Vidhan Bhawan in Lucknow on
Wednesday.

This is in sharp contrast to the earlier protests in which thousands
of people had participated at Jhulelal Park in August last year.

Five activists, including a woman, sat on indefinite fast to express
solidarity with Anna Hazare and his aides' anti-graft campaign. The
administration has given permission for only two days for the
agitation against the demand till August 15. Those who sat on fast,
included activists Akhilesh Saxena, Purshotam Shukla, Dev Dutt Pandey,
BC Pandey and Urvashi Sharma.

Throughout the day, security personnel outnumbered those present at
the venue. Not more than 50 people gathered.

The protest started at 11 am. Before that the protesters paid tribute
to Mahatma Gandhi at Gandhi Pratima near Hazratganj. But even after an
hour, the venue wore a deserted look with only a handful of supporters
present.

Recorded music was played at the venue with the supporters waving the
Tricolours and indulging in sporadic sloganeering against the UPA
government. The proceedings of the fast in New Delhi were also
broadcast through loud speakers.

Raising the pitch against the UPA government on the issue of
corruption. Anna Hazare's three aides - Arvind Kejriwal, Manish
Sisodia and Gopal Rai - sat on a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar. The
74-year-old activist is on a dharna.