Raipur, Aug 16 (IANS): Students, office workers and homemakers were among the scores of people who stepped out in Chhattisgarh Tuesday, with as many as 80 of them reportedly courting arrest to protest the arrest of activist Anna Hazare in New Delhi.

People gathered in the state capital here at the Budha Talab area soon after television channels flashed the news of Delhi Police whisking Hazare away as he was about to begin his fast-unto-death for a strong Lokpal Bill.

"It's injustice," said 55-year-old Rajendra Singh.

Geeta Singhai, 40, a homemaker wearing a white jacket with "I am Anna" printed on the back, said: "People of India have woken up from their slumber to fight corruption. There is not one Anna fighting against corruption, there are thousands and millions and the corrupt central government will have to bend before the great Anna Hazare."

After demonstrations here, protests spread to the state's industrial towns Bhilai, Raigarh, Korba, besides Bilaspur, Ambikapur and Jagdalpur.

Holding placards pledging support to Hazare, people from vwrious walks of life and age groups held demonstrations at district headquarters of all the 18 districts, condemning the Congress-led government's decision to arrest Anna.