"Ask Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to contest an election," chanted thousands of supporters of activist Anna Hazare as they marched down the streets of Lucknow on Saturday.
This was their reaction to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati's recent statement challenging Hazare to contest the next Lok Sabha election.
"Every time Anna raises the pitch against corruption, politicians attempt to throw the gauntlet at him by asking him to contest the election and form his own government. But we dare all such politicians to gather a fraction of the crowd that emerges spontaneously all across the country for the 74-year-old crusader," declared Professor Maroof Mirza, general secretary of the Shia Degree College Teachers Association and also a prominent leader of the Lucknow University Affiliated Colleges Teachers Association.
Their sentiments were echoed by scores of other speakers, who converged at Lucknow's Jhulelal Park that has become symbolic with Delhi's Ramlila Maidan. Five activists of 'India Against Corruption' have been sitting on an indefinite fast at the park to express their solidarity with Hazare.
Taking on those people who had alleged that Hazare's movement had links with right-wing forces, Mirza said, "We must be wary of such forces because their obvious game is to weaken this movement that is basically focused against corruption."
Sharing his views was Shaista Amber, president of the All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board, who declared, "I do not see any harm coming to my Islamic identity if I shout 'Bharat Mata ji Jai' or 'Vande Mataram'. I am a devout Muslim, but I am an Indian first. And I challenge such people to show me where is it written in Islam that we should not respect other religions?"
As Parliament debated Hazare's demands, before finally agreeing to them on Saturday night, support for the Gandhian activist rose to unprecedented heights all across Uttar Pradesh.
Clad in T-shirts with a portrait of Anna, clutching national flags and sporting Anna caps and badges, thousands of people marched down the streets in various cities, raising slogans to express their solidarity with the man who has become their voice against corruption.
Cries of "Anna nahin ye aandhi hai; desh ka doosra Gandhi hai" (He is not just Anna but a storm; he is the country's second Gandhi) and "Anna tum sangharsh karo; hum tumhare saath hain" (Anna, you take the lead in this struggle; we are with you) rent the air as these people marched on.
Clearly cutting across all age groups, caste, class, creed and religion, Hazare's call drew people from all walks of life -- lawyers, doctors, engineers, teachers, artists, journalists, employees of public sector undertakings and students.
