From college-goers to cabbies, Anna finds support in one and all

As anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare began his day-long fast at Jantar Mantar on Sunday, thousands of his supporters came out on to the streets across the country.

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On Sunday morning, around 4,000 Mumbaikars participated in vehicle rally which flagged off from Shivaji Park and ended at Azad Maidan.

From college-goers to cabbies, from toddlers to senior citizens, people from all walks of life and from all age groups, hit the streets shouting slogans and carrying banners supporting Hazare's fight for the Jan Lokpal Bill.

Many army personnel, law activists and dabbawallas donning the trademark Gandhian topis walked the distance from Shivaji Park to Azad Maidan and the message to the government was clear: There will not back down till the Jan Lokpal Bill is passed.

Youngsters on their Harley Davidsons and Royal Enfields and a few cyclists joined in carrying the tri-colour as the rally orgainised by the Mumbai chapter of India Against Corruption snaked through BDD Chawl, Worli, Worli Naka, Haji Ali, Tardeo, Nana Chowk, JSS Road, Opera House, Metro before culminating at Azad Maidan. The thousands of Hazare supporters also observed a fast throughout the day.

Similar protests were seen in various cities across India. Residents of Hazare's village Ralegan-Siddhi supported him with a total shutdown. Around 2000 people gathered near the Padmavati temple and half of the villagers were sitting on a token fast which they will break with Hazare in the evening.

The Hazare movement has got a unique kind of support in Bulandshahr, with people expressing their feelings against politicians through currency notes.

For past few days, notes of the denominations of Rs 10, 20 and 50 carrying stamped hate messages against politicians on their blank spaces are in wide circulation across various commercial establishments in the region.

Lambasting the Central government for its failure to bring in a strong Jan Lokpal bill in Parliament, supporters of Hazare sat on a dharna and held protest demonstrations in Jammu.

Led by the State Coordinator of India Against Corruption Ravinder Raina, over 100 supporters converged at Mubarak Mandi historic complex in Jammu city and held protest demonstrations in support of Hazare.

They sat on a dharna at the complex shouting slogans like 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Vande Materam'. Demanding a strong Lokpal bill be passed in Parliament, they backed Hazare's day-long dharna in New Delhi to press for the issue. "We are on a dharna here to support Anna Hazare's fast at Jantar Mantar in support of the Janlokpal Bill," Raina told the media.

With inputs from PTI