Holding national flags and wearing T-shirts expressing support for Hazare, the people, including students and professionals, braved heavy rains and tried to clash with the police.
Raising anti-corruption slogans, groups of people today staged protests at the Civil Lines area, where Anna Hazare was detained for a few hours, slamming the police action against the Gandhian and courted arrest.
Holding national flags and wearing T-shirts expressing support for Hazare, the people, including students and professionals, braved heavy rains and tried to clash with the police.
The road leading to the Police Officers Mess, where Hazare and Shanti Bhushan were taken away after they were detained, reverberated with slogans like "Vande Mataram", "Anna Hazare zindabad" and "Congress government should be punished for the police action".
The entire area resembled Jantar Mantar, the hotspot for protests, including by Hazare in April on Lokpal issue, in the national capital, as small groups of protesters sat on dharna near Civil Lines Metro station in the first half of the day, giving a tough time to the police.
Despite heavy rains, some youth also formed human chains and squatted on the road as policemen tried to remove them. However, they were soon bundled up into jeeps, buses and vans and taken to Chaatrasal Stadium in Model Town by the police.
"This is highly condemnable. This government should go. They are not allowing protest which is our democratic right," said Akash Sharma, a software professional who bunked office and came here to express solidarity with Team Hazare.
Hazare's supporter and member of 'India Against Corruption' Kisan Chowdhry came to the area early in the morning before Hazare was brought there. "This is a well planned strategy by the government.
Barricades have been put up here before Hazare was detained. They are trying to stifle democracy by imposing restrictions. This is undemocratic and unconstitutional," Chowdhry alleged.
High drama was witnessed at the Civil Lines area when students also joined the protests and readily courted arrest. Police had a tough time controlling the protesters as they came in small groups at regular intervals, shouting slogans against the government.
Some were seen arguing with policemen who tried to detain them.
Police had erected barricades on both sides of the road leading to the police mess, besides heavy deployment of personnel. However, they allowed people to cross the road.
After Hazare was taken to an undisclosed location, people started dispersing and police removed the barricades and allowed free movement of vehicles and people.
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