Rallying behind Anna

At the Balgandharva junction,hundreds of college students assembled under the aegis of Indian Against Corruption to voice their support for Anna. “From 8 am onwards,students from Fergusson,BMCC,MIT,VIT,SSPMS etc,and even foreign students,came to the junction and shouted slogans in support of Anna,” activist Sandeep Khardekar said.

As many as 72 persons,who had registered for a chain hunger strike on Tuesday,were seated in a pandal put up at the junction while 40 others have registered for a night fast. The group has also scheduled a candle light march on Thursday from Balgandharva Rangmandir to Sarasbaug. “We are expecting a huge crowd for this with the Art of Living members also joining us,” Khardekar said.

Girish Deshpande,another activist,said colleges and hostels held protest marches in the afternoon and there was heavy police protection with nearly 4,000 students participating in the meet. Vihar Durve,another activist,started showing Anna’s protest on laptops at the Sai Petrol Pump towards evening,which again drew a huge crowd.

In the morning,protest marches were taken out by the Bhrastachar Virodhak Samiti under the leadership of K D Pawar,a close aide of Hazare,and Trupti Desai. Desai said the government should recognise the mass movement against corruption and that the support for Anna was overwhelming. Pawar called the movement a fight against corruption and to save democracy.

Mohalla committees joined hands with politicians at some places. On NIBM Road,the NIBM Residents Forum and corporator Tanaji Lonkar held a candlelight march.

The All-India Anti-Corruption Committee said the crusader’s demands were justified. Citizens submitted memorandums of their support at media houses and the district collector’s office. District officials said they had received several such appeals in support of Anna Hazare.

A Mukundnagar resident sent in a photograph of his six-month-old baby wearing a Hazare cap,stating that his entire family supports Hazare. In Pimpri-Chinchwad,activist Maruti Bhapkar said around 50 persons fasted at Pimpri chowk.

Around 250 lawyers attached to Pune Zilla Vakil Kruti Samiti have decided to shout slogans in support of Anna Hazare outside Shivajinagar Court everyday at 1.30 pm till Hazare expresses his satisfaction with the government’s stand on Jan Lokpal Bill,said advocate Milind Pawar on Thursday. The agitation began on Wednesday. However,the Pune Bar Association (PBA) kept aloof from the agitation. PBA president Dhananjay Taur said the PBA was formed for addressing issues and problems of lawyers. “PBA members are free to express their support to Anna Hazare either by participating in this agitation or in any other way they want,” he said. Lawyers said since they cannot leave their everyday work,they would extend their support by gathering during lunch time outside.

Behind Anna

* Shweta Desai (22) of Fergusson College,who wore a Anna cap,“People are generally unhappy with the system,’’

* Adil Karachiwalla (42),a businessman,said he participated in the candlelight march because he felt strongly that the government should accept Anna’s demands.

* Kothrud’s Tejas Dhimdhime,an IT professional,said,“I can’t believe this kind of support… people are all out on the roads to express their solidarity… Corruption should be wiped out.”

Sex Workers also pitch in

As many as 200 commercial sex workers from city red-light area of Budhwar will wear black bands on Thursday to extend their support. Seema Waghmode of Kayakalp,an NGO working in the red-light area,said the sex workers watched the happenings on the TV sets on Tuesday and this morning they decided to support Anna.