Bangalore, Apr 9 : Hundreds of citizens who had been fasting at the Freedom Park here pledging their support to anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare called off their fast.
Moments after Hazare ended his four-day old indefinite fast in the wake of government setting up a 10-member panel to draft the Lokpal legislation to curb corruption, those fasting here turned jubilant.
They welcomed the government's decision and hailed it as a victory for people.Several representatives from information technology sector, including HRD, Head of Infosys Mohandas Pai visited the Park today and supported the movement against corruption.
"As a citizen I have come here to support the war against corruption. This war should continue", Pai said."Time has come after 60 years that we should not tolerate corruption. India has become most corrupt. Karnataka has become the most corrupt state", Pai said.
When his attention was drawn to the support declared to Hazare by Karnataka Chief Minister, B S Yeddyurappa, who himself faced corruption allegations, Pai demanded that the BJP government amend the Lokayukta Act to grant more powers to the institution of Lokayukta. PTI
Mumbai : The people in Mumbai, a city known for its busy and fast-paced life, did their bit in the success of the Anna Hazare-led anti-corruption stir that culminated in the Centre accepting most of the veteran social activist's demands over an effective Lok Pal Bill.
Supporters of Hazare, who had gathered at the Azad Maidan here since the last five days, celebrated as the noted Gandhian ended his fast.
From processions to candle light marches, people from all walks of life took to the streets in large numbers in the last four days to express their solidarity with the 73-year-old social activist and the campaign led by him from Delhi.
In a novel protest, people sent postcards filled with messages to the Prime Minister. One of them requested him to "rise above party politics" and pass Lokpal Bill immediately". Another piece of message, written by one Lalvani, read, "enough is enough. Get the Lokpal Bill passed the way Anna Hazare wants. It will solve the country's problems." The idea was the brainchild of Amit Chatterjee, an ex-ICICI banker, who along with his friends distributed postcards to people in cities like Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai.
"We gave postcards asking common people to write their messages that would be sent to the Prime Minister's Office. We wanted to ensure that our message of fight against corruption is heard loud and clear," Chatterjee told PTI here. Some other postcard messages were - "Stop preaching people and start listening to them", "Dear PM, please help us out of this mess and help us live a better life. A nine-and-half year-old student, Rohan Bansal, requested the PM "to give us a better and corruption-free India".
Ralegan Siddhi : Residents of this village in Maharashtra, glued to TV sets since morning, erupted in joy as one amongst them, Anna Hazare, called off his five-day old hunger strike after the Government issued a gazette notification constituting a panel to draft an effective Lok Pal Bill. "Anna is expected to reach here in the next few days. We have planned a grand welcome for him. A victory procession will be organised," Datta Awari, who handles Hazare's office at the village, said.
The villagers observed a bandh on Thursday to express solidarity with the social crusader, who was on an indefinite hunger strike in New Delhi to press for the enactment of the anti-corruption bill.
Ralegan Siddhi villagers hoisted black flags or tied black cloth on 'gudis' (sticks) in 'Gudi Padva' (Marathi New Year) as a mark of protest against the government on April 4, a day before Hazare began his fast.
"Now we will celebrate the real 'Gudi Padva' after Hazare arrives here," Awari said.Since the last five days, around 2,000 inhabitants of Ralegan Siddhi in Ahmednagar district, 79 km north of Pune, were worried about the health of the anti-corruption crusader. On Thursday, the work in the fields came to a standstill and every shops remained shut as people expressed their solidarity with Hazare.
Since April 5, locals in groups had observed a relay hunger strike at Yadavbaba temple, where Hazare stays while in the village.Meanwhile, supporters of Hazare, gathered at Azad Maidan in Mumbai since the last five days, celebrated as the noted Gandhian ended his fast. PTI
