Anna fires nation's imagination

Fast follow-up: Ramlila Maidan bustling with festivity on seventh day

In Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, youngsters held a unique demonstration by taking a plunge in the swollen river Ganga and keeping the tricolours above the water. People gathered at various ghats in the city to witness the protest.

State capital Lucknow witnessed anti-government processions that also had posters supporting the 74-year-old Gandhian. On Monday, people in the state also continued gherao at the homes of MPs of all parties.

Protesters converged before the residence of Congress MP Raja Ram Pal in Kanpur and held a demonstrations, while premises of BJP MP Murli Manohar Joshi in Varanasi, Congress MP Azharuddin in Moradabad, and and Samajwadi Party MP from Chandauli also targeted for protest.

Orissa
In Orissa, the anna wave has spread beyond state capital Bhubaneswar to several small towns and cities.
                        
A similar Yagna was also performed at in Keonjhar, the district headquarters town of tribal dominated Keonjhar district in north Orissa. Rituals were also held at the famous Sun Temple in Konark for success and good health of Anna, while a painting of Gandhian by Bhubaneswar based young artist Chintamani Biswal remained a source of attraction at  Ekamra Haat, a modern open air market complex.

Hyderabad
In Hyderabad, TDP president  Nara Chandrababu Naidu  led a huge  candle  light rally  this weekend in support of Anna, while protests were also witnessed at the port city of Visakhapatnam.

The Telugu film industry members also took out a rally and observed a day-long fast in support of Anna Hazare. Actors, producers, directors, writers, artists and workers from various units of the industry joined hands to express their solidarity with Hazare leading the fight against corruption.

Ahmedabad
Janmashtami celebrations in Ahmedabad had been eclipsed with the Anna campaign. Corruption “matki” (pitcher) replaced the traditional one at “dahi handi” organised on the occasion.

  Hazare’s supporters also organised corruption “matki phod” (break the pitcher) at the Income Tax Circle on Ashram Road here where “Govindas” broke the corruption handi. The city had witnessed similar programmes even on Saturday where children wearing Hazare’s masks broke “matkis” in several parts of the city.

Jammu & Kashmir
The movement also broke into Jammu&Kashmir with the state staging demonstration in support of Anna.

All India Forward Block activists held demonstration at Press Enclave near Lal Chowk. “Whole country is behind Anna’s movement and the UPA government will have to accept his demands,” party’s national secretary V P Saini said. He was accompanied by Kashmiri activists and party supporters.

This was for the first time that any pro-Anna protest was held in the Valley. Support for Team Anna has also been picking up in rural areas of Punjab and Haryana. Even as protests in townships and cities are continuing sans the large number of people it drew initially, candlelight march was taken out in villages like Ghataron, Kathgarh and Behram in Punjab.  In Amritsar, a campaign is underway to generate awareness on the merits of the Jan Lokpal.

Patna
In Patna, actor-turned-BJP MP from Patna Sahib, Shatrughan Sinha on Monday came out openly in support of Anna Hazare.“Not only Anna, but his entire team has done a stupendous job in mass awakening on the issue,” said Sinha.