Jalandhar, April 8
One of the leading farmer organisations of the state, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Rajewal has also come forward to back prominent social activist Anna Hazare’s NGO India Against Corruption for its crusade.

Rajewal said there was an urgent need for a solid system for ensuring conviction of corrupt politicians, government officials and judges in a stipulated time to restore faith of the masses in democracy.

Stating that the BKU would submit memorandums to DCs in support of Hazare, Rajewal said an independent Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas with vast powers in states should be set up to eradicate or at least minimise corruption in the country.

Responding to a call given by the former Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal’s outfit People’s Party of Punjab (PPP), its supporters held a solidarity march here to extend support to the agitation launched by Anna Hazare.

Led by Jagbir Singh Brar, MLA, Jalandhar Cantonment, and Gurmit Singh Daduwal, SGPC member form Nakodar, the march comprised doctors, ex-servicemen, retired employees and traders.

After gathering at the local Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Hall, the protestors proceeded to the DC office and submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Priyank Bharti. The protestors demanded that the Lokpal Bill should be drafted at the earliest.

Talking to mediapersons, Brar said with the hope that Hazare’s movement would weed out evil of corruption in the country, the PPP had decided to extend full ideological and mass support to the movement.

The Jalandhar unit of the RTI Activists’ Federation, Punjab, also staged a dharna in front of the office of DC in support of Anna Hazare. Sanjay Sehgal and Anil Vashisht, president and secretary respectively, of the Jalandhar unit of the party, led the protest.

The Focal Point Extension Welfare Society announced its support to Anna Hazare and organised a solidarity march at Focal Point here.

Demanding enactment of the Jan Lokpal Bill on the pattern being proposed by Anna Hazare-led India Against Corruption, the RTI Activists’ Federation held an hour-long dharna in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner.

They said they had shot off a missive to the Prime Minister demanding his intervention into the fast-unto-death undertaken by Anna Hazare requesting him to immediately intervene for saving his precious life by accepting his genuine demands that had the support of the entire nation.

The activists were joined in by Congress councillor Balraj Thakur who opined that the best part of the movement was that it was apolitical. “Unlike political parties indulging in mud-slinging for their own vested interests and later quietly settling down, this time it is a public movement, led by a bunch of social reformists. Therefore, it carries a much more weight”, he added.

V.S. Jolly, a member of the All-India Central Government Pensioners’ Association, also sat on the dharna.

Amritsar: Anna Hazaare crusade against corruption is gaining support from every section of society. Schoolchildren, youth as well as old people are supporting his cause by lighting candles and carrying out marches. Even various political parties are not leaving behind to join the chorus.

Mobile phones are being flooded with messages urging skipping one meal to support the cause or just giving a missed call to show their participation in the campaign.

The People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) today presented a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner supporting Hazare’s protest. Amanpreet Singh Chhina said the party demanded that the Lokpal should not only be given the power to hear complaints of corruption from the public, but also to initiate suo motu action and to register FIRs in the police station. He said the institution of the office of Lokpal should be established at the state level with similar powers as Lokpal at the Centre. It appealed that the draft of the Jan Lokpal Bill should be presented in the next session of Parliament.

The Nationalist Sainik Party, headed by Capt (retd) Channan Singh Sidhu, held a demonstration against the UPA government and urged to make the bill a reality.

Sham Lal, a Gandhi follower, sat on a hunger strike in support of the campaign.

Dr Navjot Kaur, wife of MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, led a march that included a number of NGOs, members of the Art of Living and other organisations from the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Ram Bagh Garden to the residence of the MP.

Earlier in the morning, students of Prem Asharm Senior Secondary School and leaders of the BJP held a dharna at Hall Gate. Tarun Chugh, BJP leader, said they would sit on fast unto death if the government failed to give any positive response.

Hoshiarpur: Activists of various organisations, including the Punjab People’s Party (PPP), Shri Brahmin Sabha, Punjab, Ex-servicemen Welfare Society, Garhshankar, and Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Smarak, Dasuya, have come in support of social activist Anna Hazare.

Hundreds of activists of the PPP, led by the former Rajya Sabha member Varinder Singh Bajwa, advocate Baljinder Singh Riar and former Chairman of the Improvement Trust Tajinder Singh Sodhi took out a procession from Shaheed Bhagat Singh Chowk to mini-secretariat and presented a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner in which they supported Anna Hazare and demanded presentation of a strong Lokpal Bill in the coming session of the Parliament.

They stated that the drafting of a strong Lokpal Bill had been done by the constitutional experts and was need of the hour to weed out corruption from the society.

Advocate Baljinder Singh Riar said lists of corrupt political persons, bureaucrats and government officials would soon be prepared and subsequently sent to Anna Hazare.

Activists of the Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Smarak, led by Kumar Saini, observed a 24-hour fast in support of Hazare. Activists of the Ex-servicemen Welfare Society, led by their president Balbir Singh, sat on a dharna at Garhshankar in support of Anna Hazare.

Phagwara: The members of National Integerated Medical Association observed one-day fast in support of agitation of social activist Anna Hazare, who is sitting on fast-upto-death in support of his demand of a strong Lokpal Bill to eradicate corruption in the country. Members, led by Dr Jawahar Dheer and Anil Vinayak, submitted a memorandum to SDM Amarjit Pal to be forwarded to the Prime Minister this afternoon.

Residents of Phagwara have come out in full support of Anna Hazare’s agitation against corruption.

After organising a candlelight march in the town last night, more than 50 prominent citizens belonging to different social and religious organisations, including Rotary Clubs,J aycees, Lions Clubs, Bharat Vikas Parishad, Laghu Udhyog Bharti, Indian Medical Association, Citizen Rights Forum, Federation of Small Industries, Dharmic Samiti and Aman Committee, observed fast from 10 am to 5pm in front of general bus stand here today.

Hundreds of other residents were seen visiting the dharna site and expressing their support for Anna Hazare.

Nawanshahr: Activists of the the district unit of the People’s Party of Punjab, comprising Harbhajan Singh Bhangal, Tirath Singh Chahal, Hardeepak Singh Bedi and Aman Sandhu, today, while expressing solidarity with the crusade against corruption launched by veteran social activist Anna Hazare, demanded bringing in the Lokpal Bill having more teeth to tackle the corruption head-on in the ensuing session of parliament as well as setting up of Lokpal at the state level in the country.

The District Bar Association passed a resolution and employees of the Life Insurance Company held a gate rally to express solidarity with Hazare.

Batala: Activists of various social and religious organisations are joining the campaign led by Anna Hazare against corruption.

J.N. Sharma, vice-president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Punjab, stated that the fight against corruption must be taken to its logical end and all those guilty should be brought to book irrespective of their status and position.

Dr Uttam Chopra, another social activist and office-bearer of the Bharat Vikas Parishad, Punjab, stated that strict legal action should be taken against corrupt.

Several other organisations like Dainik Prarthna Sabha, Bajrang Dal, etc, endorsed the steps taken by Anna Hazare.