Thin attendance at Team Anna fast venue

New Delhi, Jul 26: The indefinite fast by Team Anna against the UPA government on corruption issue entered the second day today with a thin attendance at the venue. The response to the fast on the first day yesterday was also modest with police estimating that 2,500-3,000 people attended during peak hours.

The Team's earlier protests had attracted several hundred people. This morning around 600 protesters attended, according to police but organisers expressed hope that the numbers will rise.

Arvind Kejriwal, one of the three Team Anna members who is fasting, left for Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh to attend a court hearing on his remarks against MPs calling them "criminals and rapists". He will join the protesters later in the day. Before leaving for the court, Kejriwal said if such people will sit in Parliament then there is no future for the country. "I don't think I have done anything wrong. And if speaking truth is against the country, then I am ready to face the consequences," he said.

Anna Hazare arrived at the dais only at 11 am. Team Anna launched the agitation yesterday raising the pitch against UPA on corruption issue with activists attacking new President Pranab Mukherjee though Hazare refrained from making any personal remarks.

Hazare stuck to his pet theme of bringing a strong Lokpal Bill and threatened a 'jail bharo' agitation if government does not concede to his demands and campaigning for candidates chosen by people in the next Lok Sabha elections.

PTI