TDP intensifies protests over Hazare's arrest;Naidu in custody

Hyderabad, Aug 17: Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu and scores of his party workers were taken into custody as they staged a protest in front of the Ramgopalpet police station here this afternoon against the arrest of Gandhian Anna Hazare in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Police prevented the former Chief Minister and his party men from taking out a rally to the Ambedkar statue on Tank Bund prompting Chandrababu and others to sit on a dharna in front of the police station.

They were later taken to nearby Mahankali police station. Earlier, Chandrababu led his party workers on a dharna at the Mahatma Gandhi statue on MG Road in Secunderabad against the arrest of Hazare and his followers.

Terming Hazare's arrest as undemocratic, the TDP chief demanded that the Centre immediately permit the former to go ahead with his planned protest, seeking a stronger Jan Lokpal, without any restrictions.

Chandrababu reiterated his party's demand that the Prime Minister too be brought under the Jan Lokpal''s purview. He vowed to continue the fight against corruption till a stronger and effective Jan Lokpal law was put in place. For the second consecutive day, TDP workers across Andhra Pradesh took to the streets protesting Hazare's illegal arrest and promising to continue their fight against corruption.

"Carry on your fight (against corruption)..we will be with you," the TDP rank and file promised Hazare and raised slogans against corruption.

PTI