March against graft in repeat of April solidarity

On the eve of the second meeting of the drafting committee for the Jan Lokpal Bill, thousands of people marched from Jantar Mantar to India Gate on Sunday, expressing solidarity with members of the committee. HT reports

On the eve of the second meeting of the drafting committee for the Jan Lokpal Bill, thousands of people marched from Jantar Mantar to India Gate on Sunday, expressing solidarity with members of the committee.

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Forsaking their Sunday siesta, scores of citizens from across Delhi and National Capital Region descended at Jantar Mantar, 4pm onward — where social activist, Anna Hazare, had undertaken a fast-unto-death, beginning April 5.

Ambuj Sharma, 37, said, “The issue of corruption is directly related to our future. Last time, I had come here on a Friday, a working day, leaving my office. I would have come over here today, even if it wasn’t a holiday.”

Holding placards against corruption, demanding a stringent anti-corruption law and wearing white caps that had ‘I am Anna’ or ‘Main Anna Hun’ written in the Devnagari script, people from all walks of life participated in the rally, in a repeat of similar scenes last month.

One placard read: “Bring the Prime Minister and members of the higher judiciary in the ambit of the Lokpal Bill too”. Several people wore colourful jerseys with an imprint of the India Against Corruption logo.

Arti, 37, (she goes by a single name), a teacher said,”I am here to support the cause and show to the government that we have not forgotten what happened at Jantar Mantar in April.”

A press release by the India Against Corruption campaign said, “Several prominent organisations participated in the rally. These included Indian Ex-servicemen’s Movement, All India Bank Employees’ Association, Lucknow and Delhi chapters of the IIM Alumni Association, All India Blind Association, Common Cause, among others.”