NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi’s central office in his Amethi constituency was among the premises targeted on Tuesday by Anna Hazare’s supporters on the second day of protests outside homes of elected representatives in several parts of the country in response to the Gandhian’s call.
As Hazare’s fast in Ramlila Maidan in Delhi entered the eighth day, the protests in the forms of fasts, sit-ins and demonstrations continued.
The support for Hazare’s hunger strike scaled new heights when a 60-year-old man Rajendran launched a fast in Veloor village in Kottayam in Kerala sitting atop a coconut tree during daytime.
The Tamil film industry also backed Hazare’s campaign for a strong Lokpal bill with over 200 of its members observing a fast in Chennai. The protesters included Directors Cheran and Chitra Lakshmanan, actress Rohini and several producers and backstage artistes.
Tamil superstar Rajinikanth lent his weight to Hazare’s “peaceful” anti-graft movement, calling it a “bloodless revolution”. He extended his “whole-hearted support” to the campaign and said corruption was a dreaded disease that needed to be weeded out.
Reports from CSM Nagar in Uttar Pradesh said that about 800 activists led by social worker Hanuman Singh reached the central office of Rahul Gandhi in Gauriganj (Amethi) and raised slogans asking the Congress MP to break his silence over the issue and also burnt an effigy.
According to a report from Farukhabad, several Hazare supporters staged a dharna in front of Union Law Minister Salman’s Khursheed’s ancestral house in Kayamganj area.
In Lucknow, there was a demonstration before the house of UPCC president Rita Bahuguna Joshi.
Neeraj Shekhar, SP MP and son of late Prime Minister Chandrashekhar faced protests in Ballia while his party colleague Bal Kumar Patel was targeted in Bahraich.Hazare’s supporters staged a demonstration outside the residence of jailed Congress MP Suresh Kalmadi in Pune and chanted bhajans.(PTI)
