Anna Hazare begins anti-corruption begins day-long fast (Lead).

A veteran Indian activist has started a day-long fast against corruption and the government's violent crackdown on a similar peaceful protest, tapping into widespread anger at prime minister Manmohan Singh's failure to curb graft.

The veteran Gandhian along with his supporters are protesting against the midnight police crackdown on Ramdev and his followers over the weekend.

The venue of the fast was shifted to Raj Ghat after Anna Hazare wasn't allowed to protest at Jantar Mantar. But, Anna supporters at Raj Ghat are excited about the protest.

"It was difficult to make preparations at last minute after venue changed as we have already sent the SMS. But the media helped a lot. Anna and Arvind Kejriwal are motivations, I like the way Anna speaks," said a volunteer.

Top MHA officials and Delhi's Police commissioner BK Gupta are personally reviewing security arrangements at Raj Ghat. Security has been stepped up around the area and entry is being restricted.

Unlike the previous Anna dharna in April, the Congress has upped the ante against the civil society.
Holding placards with slogans like "This is the second war of independence", people started thronging Rajghat, the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, as early as 7 a.m. although the fast was not to begin before 10 a.m. There was also a heavy police presence at the site.

The fast will go on till 6 p.m.

One of the first ones to reach the venue was Kuldeep Singh of the Bhrashtachar Virodhi Party who came with his friends from Punjab to support Anna's movement.

"We have come here to support Anna. What the government did at the Ramlila ground was wrong and it should not have taken such a step. Corruption is a big issue and we have the right to protest against it," Kuldeep Singh told IANS.

"Anna and Baba Ramdev should come together and fight this battle together," he added.

In April, Hazare's five-day fast drew widespread support across the country and forced the government to set up a joint panel to draft a Lokpal bill to combat corruption in high places.

Vaibhav Kumar, one of the many young supporters of Anna, said: "Just like Gandhiji took the path of non-violence, Anna Hazare is doing the same and we are supporting that."

"What happened at the Ramlila ground is shameful. The people who gathered there were protesting peacefully. If the government can baton-charge peaceful protestors, then they should remove Gandhiji's photo from all government offices and the currency notes as well," he added.

Wearing a Nehru cap, another young Anna supporter said: "We are not aligned to any political party. Our only aim is to fight corruption."

Earlier in the day, before proceeding towards the fast site, Anna Hazare said: "The government action at Ramlila ground was an attack on democracy."

Former top cop and activist Kiran Bedi said: "We need a stronger law against corruption which can be trusted. The system should be approachable. We will consider ourselves free only when India is free from corruption. It is a second war of independence."