Thaindian News

Chandigarh, April 8 (IANS) Support for social activist Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption campaign found support in Punjab and Haryana as tens of hundreds of activists, students, doctors, lawyers and teachers rallied behind him.

Scores of people gathered at Sector 17, the commercial hub of this union territory, and brought out a candle march Friday evening. The campaigners, who were carrying placards supporting Anna Hazare, also raised anti-corruption slogans.

“We all want Lokpal Bill as it would keep a check on the looting of public money. Many of my classmates are also participating in this protest and we will continue our campaign till the central government gives consent to the demands of Hazare,” Ansh Vashish, an engineering student, told IANS.

Anna Hazare, 72, is on a fast since Tuesday at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, demanding a greater say for the civil society in framing the anti-corruption Lokpal Bill.

A Punjab-based NGO organised a ‘havan yagya’ (fire ritual), praying for the good health of Anna Hazare.

People in Punjab and Haryana are staging protests, bringing out peace marches and running signature campaigns in support of Hazare.

On Thursday evening, a candlelight march drew hundreds of people of different age groups and from various walks of life.

“We have planned more such activities,” Manjit Singh, sociology professor at the Panjab University here, told IANS Friday. “We have also initiated a signature campaign to garner public support.”

Doctors at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) have also extended their support to Hazare.

Virender Singh, president of PGIMER’s faculty association, said: “We support this campaign. We have called a meeting of our association to decide how we can contribute. We can also go for a hunger strike.”

Two lawyers of Punjab and Haryana High Court, V.S. Makkar and Gaurav Goyal, are on an indefinite hunger strike in Chandigarh.

“We invite other people, especially youngsters, to join us in our fight against corruption,” Goyal told IANS.

Besides, social activists staged protests in different towns of Haryana and Punjab Friday.

Activist Ramneek Bedi from Ambala told IANS, “Anna Hazare was posted in Ambala in the 1960s while he was serving in the Indian Army. The town made a significant impression on his personality and thoughts. We are all very excited and ready to sacrifice anything for this cause.”

The People’s Party of Punjab (PPP), newly floated by former finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal, is also supporting Anna Hazare.

“As an expression of solidarity with Anna Hazare’s protest, PPP will be presenting memorandums to all deputy commissioners of Punjab,” Badal said Friday.