Hundreds gather as Anna Hazare begins day-long fast

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Singing devotional songs and holding placards, hundreds of supporters gathered near Rajghat in the capital Wednesday morning to support veteran Gandhian Anna Hazare and participate in a day-long fast to protest the crackdown on yoga guru Baba Ramdev.

With the weather turning a little benevolent and the tricolour fluttering in the background, a smiling Anna sat on the raised platform and waved to the supporters who raised slogans like ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai!’.

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 .“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.”

Police cracked down post-midnight Saturday on an anti-graft protest by close to a lakh of followers of yoga guru Baba Ramdev at Ramlila ground here forcing them to disperse. Ramdev was arrested, flown in a special BSF plane to Dehradun and taken thence to Hardwar near where his Patanjali Ashram is located.

1 COMMENT

  1. Why is the Congress so firm of not bringing the PM’s office under the Lokpal?
    Ans: Because in the near future Sonia might be the next PM and then would try and pur Rahul on the PM’s chair. They dont want to be under the jurisdiction of the Lokpal. This point of view in not coming from the Congress Party but specifically from Sonia. There was a mention of her KGB accounts in the newshour on HT on 16 June. Her connections with Quattrochi have been proved beyond doubt.
    Why does’nt the Congress want the Judiciary under the Lokpal?
    Ans: Because there are two institutions, the Supreme Court and the CBI with the help of which the Congress manouvres and manipulates as per their requirements.
    Why is the Congress now thinking and planning to crack down on Anna’s movement at district level to scuttle the movement?
    Ans: Because the very existance of the Congress Party and many old, prominent and seasoned politicians is being threatened by the Lokpal.

    The Congress has a “do or die” job at hand and that is to diffuse this movement.As an ordinary citizen I want to appeal to all the people who read this comment, to stand up and support Anna Hazare’s movement, fight the evil designs of the ruling party, shed blood if required, because this will be for the future of our children. We will bring somone to power who can lead the nation honestly, and by that I dont mean the BJP, it can be anyone.

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