With Hegde spearheading the protest as early as 8.45 am at Freedom Park, the protesters grew in number as the day progressed.
Even after the arrest of Anna Hazare, Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi, thousands of protesters encompassing various strata of the society in Bangalore did not find themselves without a leader.
With N Santosh Hegde spearheading the protest as early as 8.45 am at Freedom Park, the protesters only grew in number as the day progressed.
The former chief of anti-corruption watchdog Karnataka Lok Ayukta was scathing as he denounced the arrest of Hazare.
"Is he a terrorist that the government has detained him?" he asked, during his address to the protesters. And then mincing no words, Hegde termed the episode the "murder of democracy".
"The government has not learnt its lessons from 1975. Anna has been detained even before he could go out to protest. This proves that the government is scared of Anna. This has definitely irked the entire country," he said.
Hegde's address to the protesters was in spells as others too chipped in to speak at the peaceful rally. Replete with criticism of the Centre, he continued his attack on the government and disapproved of the ways the elected representatives were performing.
"Democracy, in reality, has become for the elected, of the elected and by the elected. The elected representatives have throttled democracy, and its meaning and existence. They have forgotten that they are the public servants, and not the kings of the citizens, who have elected them," he said.
He recalled an incident when Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari came to a meeting of the Lokpal bill drafting committee and asked the members, "Who are you? You have come to advice the parliament? What are your jurisdictions?'
"I thought he was a lawyer. How could he then ask these questions? Should we tolerate such people?" he asked the volunteers at Freedom Park.
Hegde replied in affirmation when asked if the agitation intensified because Anna was detained in Delhi.
Asked if BJP would have let this happen to Anna, he asked, "BJP could have put forward the bill during its regime. Why did it not do it then?"
Over 3,000 people stood still at 11am when the national anthem was played at the venue. Hegde inspired the youth to carry on the agitation in their hearts till the government bowed to give the country an anti-corruption law. Notwithstanding his condemnation of the current crop of elected representatives, Hegde told the youth that there was not harm in joining politics.
"But don't get the title of chor politician," Hegde told the volunteers.
At Ground Zero
The crowd at Freedom Park consisted of techies, professionals, businessmen, students, members of various associations. Ashwin Mahesh, Prithvi Reddy and Victoria D'Souza, represented India Against Corruption (IAC) and went on a fast at the venue.
Volunteers of India Against Corruption kept on updating the crowd about the kind of protests that are being carried out in other states.
The crowd observed a two-minute silent when it was reported that an IAC volunteer Shehla Massod was shot dead in Bhopal.
People were seen donating in cash and buying T-shirts, Gandhian caps and stickers. Students held banners and raised slogans against corruption. Women of all ages took part in the protest.
"Anna has ignited an Anna in all our hearts," said Anju Raj Jalan, a resident of Shantiniketan Apartments in Whitefield.
Some participants said the governance in the country was worse than British rule. "This is the little bit I can do at this age for my future and defend the freedom we got 60 years ago," said J Srinivasan, member of Koramanagala Matters.
Trade bodies join
JR Bangera, president of Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FKCCI), with some members of the body, hit the venue to express solidarity to the movement.
"We support Anna Hazare in his efforts to give the nation a strong anti-corruption bill and condemn the government's high-handedness attitude. We request the government to negotiate, so that fights against corruption can be fought in an orderly manner," said Bangera.
Members from Socialist Union Centre of India and other organisations too were present at Freedom Park.
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