City readies for date with Anna

By mohitsexena : If the one-lakh signature campaign at the Freedom Park in Bangalore marked the movement against corruption earlier this year, over three lakh people are expected to participate in a public function to be addressed by anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare in the City on May 28.

clarion call: A hoarding put up by members of India Against Corruption on Hosur Road. DH PHOTOHazare, who inspired the nation to wake up and fight for the drafting of the Jan Lokpal Bill, will be in Bangalore on Friday and Saturday, and going by the fervent preparations being made by NGOs, India Against Corruption and Corruption Saaku, the City is all set to welcome the social activist with great enthusiasm.

Kiran Bindu, City-based professor of finance and volunteer, who has busied himself in distributing pamphlets and creating awareness on Hazare's visit to Bangalore, says that it has been an overwhelming experience for him. He said that the majority of the 200 odd volunteers for the campaign, are below the age of 30.

"We have approached a wide spectrum of citizens, from the young to the old and illiterate to the elite. The feedback we have received is overwhelming. I did bump into cynics, but these were stray cases. Weather permitting, we are expecting over three lakh people at the public function," he said.

Bindu isn't a member of either of the NGOs. He joined the movement after watching whistleblower Julian Assange's interview. "Many of us are very cautious about the outcome of this movement against corruption, and that's because we have been betrayed so many times in the past. Until we get concrete results, we need to continue to holler," he added.

Nishant who works in a recruitment consultancy has gone door to door in Bangalore South. "Everybody that I have met so far wants to have more information about Hazare's visit, and also the Jan Lokpal Bill. The pulse, especially among the youth, is to create a corruption-free country. In fact, my mail box is flooded with mails requesting additional information," he added.

Nitin Jagtap, coordinator of India Against Corruption, said that this is a purely non-political event, and that Hazare would not be sharing the dais with any politicians. No politician is a special invitee, he said answering a question.

Hazare, together with Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi, Swami Agnivesh and Prashant Bhushan, will land in Bangalore on May 27 and head to T Begur near Nelamangala where he will address farmers from in and around the area at 11 am.

He will participate in a panel discussion organised by a TV channel in Indiranagar at 6 pm. The programme will be telecast live.

Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde and former Supreme Court Judge M N Venkatachala will be part of the panel.

On May 28, Hazare will participate in the public function organised at the National College Grounds in Basavanagudi.

Hazare and his colleagues will be put up on the IIMB premises during their stay here.
He is expected to leave the City on May 29. More details can be had by logging onto www.saaku.com

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