JOIN USCity resonates with Hazare's victory
The thousands who had gathered to express their support for Anna Hazare’s campaign and the enactment of the Jan Lokpal bill, erupted in shouts of joy and could not restrain their happiness at what was being seen as a major victory against corruption.
In the footsteps of Anna Hazare, the ten people who were fasting at Freedom Park also broke their fast. Five of them including Anand Yadwad, Ashutosh Singh, Sumit Negi and Mahendra Kumar Gandhi had been fasting for the last five days.
An elated Anand said, “The spark has been ignited. People are coming in thousands. I wish they were coming in lakhs and crores. The group along with the organisation India Against Corruption will be sending a memorandum to Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa to give more powers to the Lokayukta and also to continue his term until all the corruption cases that are being handled are resolved. The chief minister will also be asked to express his support for the Jan Lokpal Bill instead of the government sanctioned Lokpal Bill.
Amidst the celebrations, the hordes of born again patriots sang Vande Mataram as it played in the background, along with sloganeering of ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ and ‘Jeet gaya bhai jeet gaya, India jeet gaya’ and the national anthem. Stickers decrying corruption and expressing support for Anna Hazare were being distributed to everyone as musicians belted out songs.
Such was the mood of elation that the predominantly young crowd was reluctant to leave the premises even after being requested to leave, but not before they were repeatedly told that the fight was not over but had just begun. For them, after four days of being provided with a target called corruption and its implementing agency, the government to direct its ire at, the question of ‘what now’ was just beginning.
Unaware of path ahead
As of now there is no reckoning of the path ahead, but Raju Wali of India Against Corruption said their response would depend on what the State government would say to their demands.
“We will plan based on the Chief Minister’s response,” he said.
Perhaps sensing the involvement of large number of IT crowd, Infosys Director Mohandas Pai also put in an appearance.
“I am very happy about the positive response that Anna Hazare has got from the Central government. I did support this cause all the way and it is nice to see the youngsters take part in the campaign,” he said.