Patna: Anti-corruption slogans continued to echo the air in different parts of Patna with hundreds of India Against Corruption crusaders gheraoing the residences of local MPs – BJP`s Shatrughan Sinha of Patna and JD-U`s Ranjan Yadav of Patliputra – as well as the BJP`s state president and Rajya Sabha MP C P Thakur and city residents taking out separate processions in support of the Gandhian.
The demonstrators, with tricolours clutched to their fists, waved anti-graft banners and shouted slogans outside Thakur`s Fraser Road residence for over an hour. They later demonstrated outside the Nala Road residence of Yadav and the Kadamkuan residence of Sinha.
The MPs were not in town on Tuesday. Soon after the demonstration, however, Thakur made it public that he was with the Jan Lokpal Bill. “The Bill can be passed within two days. The government is not serious. It should incorporate the civil society and opposition parties` reservations on the bill,” Thakur told over phone from Delhi and added he could resign from the Rajya Sabha if the civil society asked him to do so in support of the Bill.
Anna`s India Against Corruption (IAC) activists now plan to ghearo RJD boss Lalu Prasad, an MP from Chhapra, at the official residence of his wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi. “We will soon appear outside the Lalu`s home,” IAC`s Bihar coordinator Ratnesh K Chowdhry said.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Muslims owing allegiance to All India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz burned an effigy of Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid, who had given a call to the community to stay away from the Gandhian`s stir against corruption.
The Mahaz activists assembled at the Kargil Chowk near the Gandhi Maidan and also raised slogans, seeking support for the Anna agitation. “It`s none of the business of the Jama Masjid`s Shahi Imam to issue `fatwa` to the community members not to join the Anna stir. The call of Bukhari holds no significance for the community,” Mahaz president and MP Ali Anwar Ansari told.
Once again on Tuesday, lawyers of the Bihar Income Tax Bar Association observed a daylong fast near the Patna high court premises. Lawyers from Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Ara, Jehanabad and other districts also joined them. “I appeal to everyone to consider supporting Anna`s campaign as their moral duty. It is now or never,” said senior lawyer Yogesh Chandra Verma.
In support of Anna and his campaign, the Patna Motor Garage Owners` Association suspended its work for the day. The association`s 100-odd members also staged a dharna at the JP roundabout near the Gandhi Maidan from early Tuesday morning till evening. They later took out a candle march to the Dak Bungalow crossing and back to the Kargil Chowk.
Separate groups of students of different schools also came out on the streets and raised slogans in support of Anna. A minor incident of clash was reported between the Anna supporters and the NSUI activists who had come to burn an effigy of Anna at the Kargil Chowk.
In the evening, a group of musicians led by Anil Akela organized a musical evening at the Kargil Chowk to support the Anna stir. Akela, who has composed quite a few songs to support the anti-corruption campaign, had the audience cheering for Anna.
Slogans like “Rashtra-heet ke liye jiyenge aur marenge, Anna ke saath hai aur rahenge” rent the air as over 200 activists under the joint banners of Patanjali Yogpeeth and Bharat Swabhiman took out a rally in the afternoon. Another group of 200 and odd members of `Patna Light Decorators Swavlambi Sahyog Samiti` took out a peace march from Kadamkuan to Kargil Chowk.