| Bihar, Karnataka chief ministers support Hazare | |
| Press Trust of India / New Delhi April 08, 2011, 18:05 IST | |
The protests against corruption spearheaded by social activist Anna Hazare spread to more cities and small towns today, as Chief Ministers of Bihar and Karnataka threw their weight behind the movement. Thousands of people from all walks of life, including the marginalised classes, thronged the streets to extend their support to social activist Hazare's indefinite fast in his home district of Ahmednagar in Maharashtra, police said. The fast by the 71-year-old Gandhian in New Delhi entered the fourth day today. Over 3,500 people participated in a march organised by the 'Alliance of NGOs' in Ahmednagar. The temple town of Shirdi, near Ahmednagar, was also witness to a rally taken out by hundreds of people in support of the anti-corruption crusader. They also prayed in the famous Sai Baba temple for the quick passage of the Lokpal Bill in the Parliament. Lending full support to Hazare's campaign, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar asserted that it was manifestation of the people's pledge against corruption. "I have full support to Anna for his campaign against corruption... It is manifestation of people's pledge against corruption", Kumar said in Patna. "There is widespread resentment, indignation and discontent brewing in the people's mind against corruption", he said and alleged that a string of corruption had surfaced during the UPA government at the centre and "agitated the people's mind". "Anna is receiving overwhelming response", he said. "Jan Lokpal bill being demanded by Anna has full support from the people", he said, adding the UPA government should not make it a prestige issue and concede the demand instead of delaying the issue in the name of "constitutional mechanism." "Constitutional mechanism is not necessary in the present case.... It has full support of people and their sentiments must be respected", he said apparently referring to the demand for making Hazare chairman of the Jan Lokpal Bill committee. Citing the case of National Advisory Council (NAC) being headed by Sonia Gandhi to which several NGOs too are representatives, Kumar said the committee comprising the NAC members had drafted the Food Security bill for which preparations were afoot for official notification. Battling allegations of corruption, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa too extended support to Hazare. "Time has come for enactment of such a legislation to eradicate corruption in the country," he said Yeddyurappa, facing charges of nepotism and favouritism in land denotification, demanded that the Centre take immediate steps to bring in a legislation to fight corruption. He has denied all charges. CPI(ML-Liberation) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya and his partymen sat on a day's fast in Ranchi in support of Hazare. | 
Content Guide
Smart Moves
No comments:
Post a Comment