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Rain fails to deter Maharashtra rallies supporting Anna Hazare

Two groups rallying from Kurla and Bandra distributed pamphlets about the differences in the two Lokpal Bills.

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The rains and the overcast sky meant that only a few thousands turned up for Thursday evening’s two rallies organised by India Against Corruption (IAC) from Kurla (West) and Bandra (East).

The two groups that started around 5pm met an hour later near the Reserve Bank of India building in Bandra-Kurla Complex for a meeting. From Kurla railway station, around 2,000 protestors, mostly youngsters waving the national flag and banners, marched through the lanes of Kurla market on their way to Bandra-Kurla Complex.

Volunteers distributed handbills explaining the difference between Anna Hazare’s Jan Lokpal Bill and the government’s Lokpal Bill to office workers on their way home from work.

Speaking to those gathered on the road near Reserve Bank of India, IAC coordinator Mayank Gandhi explained the features of the Jan Lokpal Bill.

“For 42 years, the government’s Lokpal Bill has entered parliament 8 times, only to come back without being passed,” Gandhi said.

Dr Sadashiv Choudhary who teaches at a city medical college who had joined the marchers wondered why he should consider the country’s parliament supreme when it has not been able to pass a law against corruption in the last 42 years.

“Politicians are saying that the parliament alone has the right to pass laws. The government version of the bill will not be ineffective in curbing corruption,” said Choudhury.

Another protestor Mukund Nagvekar, a jewellery artist, said, “The government has now hardened its position on the bill. If they do not listen to citizens, we will fill the jails in protest. We are prepared to go on a mass civil disobedience movement that will shut down the country,” said Nagvekar.

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