CHENNAI: Candlelight vigil, protests, bike rallies and fasts by people from different walks of life were held in several parts of the city on Saturday even as various outfits joined the movement in solidarity with Anna Hazare’s demand for a Jan Lokpal Bill.The support for Anna Hazare is slowly swelling in the city, a week after the movement was launched across the country with new outfits pledging support and even one outfit wanting him to become the President of India.Interestingly, corruption had different connotations for different outfits. While Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangam, a forum of two lakh traders, linked it to new economic policies, outfits like the Tamizh Desiya Katchi saw it as a tool to awaken the people of the State to bring in a new meaning to the politics of the State, besides demanding a Lok Ayukta in the State.The Memorial Hall near the Chennai Central Railway Station witnessed Gandhi Makkal Iyakkam and Tamizh Desiya Katchi launching agitations in support of Anna Hazare. “We salute Anna because he showed that Gandhi’s way of struggle is an effective weapon to fight against social evils and to protect the right of citizens ,” said Thamizh Aruvi Manian, founder president of Gandhi Makkal Iyakkam. Innian Sampath, the grandson of Periyar and a leader of the Tamizh Desiya Katchi, feels the movement will bring in a revolution in the politics of Tamil Nadu. “We will be taking the movement to the downtrodden people and will try to change the political colour of the State by ending corruption,” he said.Meanwhile, shops across the State will remain shut on August 23 in solidarity with Hazare, said Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangam founder president Vellaiyan. He told Express that more political outfits will be backing Anna. He also mooted the idea of nominating Hazare as president of the nation. In Tiruvamiyur, youth took out a bike rally seeking support of the movement launched by India against Corruption activists. “More women are joining the movement and there are a couple of them who have joined the indefinite fast,” said India Against Corruption coordinator Bhavna.Meanwhile, students of SJT Surana Jain Vidyalaya and Junior College took out a procession in solidarity with Anna Hazare at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Attired in various costumes, they showed their resentment to corruption.Similarly, thousands of people took part in a candlelight vigil in Sowcarpet and Marina Beach by vowing their support for the Jan Lokpal Bill.
Comments
0 comment