<p>The much-publicised first visit of anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare cleary turned out to be a damp squib with only a few hundred people turning up at the event in Hyderabad. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Anna did not mince words while expressing his disappointment over the miserable response he got in the State capital. “The turnout is poor,” the anti-graft icon said more than once during his hour-long speech.<br /><br /> However, he cloaked his disappointment by saying that he was encouraged by the number of youngsters in the crowd. “I see quite a lot of youngsters in the crowd, and they are the future of the country. If I can enlighten them against corruption, my purpose will be served,” he said. <br /><br />With the aim of challenging the UPA government’s policies, “Jantantra Morcha” organised this public meeting at a college ground in Secunderabad. <br /><br />It was scheduled to take off at 3 pm, but with just empty chairs surrounding the podium, the organisers kept postponing it, hoping for some more people to gather. But, even at 6 pm, when the social activist rose to speak, there were only a few who had turned up to listen to his speech. <br /><br />Overcoming his initial disappointment, Anna declared, “In this country of 1.2 billion people, I am confident that I will be successful in awakening at the conscience of least 60 million public. Once I achieve this, it is enough to force the government to bring about the much-needed changes in the system.” <br /><br />“By the next elections, we should have a ‘right to reject’ option while voting. If a majority of the voters use this option, then elections will be held again,” Anna said.</p>
<p>The much-publicised first visit of anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare cleary turned out to be a damp squib with only a few hundred people turning up at the event in Hyderabad. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Anna did not mince words while expressing his disappointment over the miserable response he got in the State capital. “The turnout is poor,” the anti-graft icon said more than once during his hour-long speech.<br /><br /> However, he cloaked his disappointment by saying that he was encouraged by the number of youngsters in the crowd. “I see quite a lot of youngsters in the crowd, and they are the future of the country. If I can enlighten them against corruption, my purpose will be served,” he said. <br /><br />With the aim of challenging the UPA government’s policies, “Jantantra Morcha” organised this public meeting at a college ground in Secunderabad. <br /><br />It was scheduled to take off at 3 pm, but with just empty chairs surrounding the podium, the organisers kept postponing it, hoping for some more people to gather. But, even at 6 pm, when the social activist rose to speak, there were only a few who had turned up to listen to his speech. <br /><br />Overcoming his initial disappointment, Anna declared, “In this country of 1.2 billion people, I am confident that I will be successful in awakening at the conscience of least 60 million public. Once I achieve this, it is enough to force the government to bring about the much-needed changes in the system.” <br /><br />“By the next elections, we should have a ‘right to reject’ option while voting. If a majority of the voters use this option, then elections will be held again,” Anna said.</p>
