Parents naming new borns after Anna

In Darbhanga alone, where more than 200 kids were born in the last one week, nearly 150 infants have been named Anna. Surprisingly, parents have no qualms in naming even a girl child as Anna.

Sources in the Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) said that ever since Anna Hazare launched his indefinite fast, most parents cutting across caste and gender have taken a fancy to naming their babies after the anti-corruption crusader.

“On an average 25 to 30 babies are born in DMCH daily. I was pleasantly surprised to find parents naming the new-born after Anna. Now we have Anna Jha, Anna Paswan, Anna Choudhary, Anna Mishra, Anna Kumari, Anna Raza…” said Suraj Nayak of DMCH. “This shows the common man’s resolve to fight against corruption and support a Gandhian like Anna,” the doctor added.

Meanwhile, the mass support for Anna Hazare continued for the 12th consecutive day across the state. While lawyers, students and other professionals observed peaceful march in Patna, some CPI-ML supporters stopped trains at various places as part of their Bihar bandh call.

In Patna, the non-gazetted employees boycotted work on Saturday in support of Anna and organised dharnas and satyagrahas. Members of the All India Progressive Women’s Association (AIPWA) also held demonstrations at Dak Bungalow crossing to press for an end to corruption by public servants.

Intellectuals, doctors, engineers and other social workers under the banner of Bihar unit of ‘India Against Corruption’ continued their fast at Kargil Chowk. “If one Anna Hazare dies, hundreds of Annas have already taken birth in Bihar to take the movement forward,” said Sanjay Dutta, an office-bearer of IAC.