By IANS,
Lucknow : Three people continued their fast for the second day and scores of people held protests in this Uttar Pradesh capital to support social activist Anna Hazare’s crusade for strigent punishment for corruption.
The highest turnout of protesters was witnessed Wednesday at Jhulelal Park near the Lucknow University where Akhilesh Saxena, Indu Singh and Munna Lal continued their indefinite fast since Tuesday to support Hazare’s “fast unto death” to press for involving the civil society in formulation of the anti-graft Lokpal Bill.
“Anna Hazare is fighting for a national cause and we would continue to support him. The time has come when we all should start thinking about national interest,” Saxena, a coordinator with the Uttar Pradesh RTI council, told reporters here.
“We have made up our mind to continue with our indefinite fast till Anna Hazare is observing his fast unto death. The nation is with Anna Hazare, who has taken up a national campaign to bring in transparency required for good governance,” he added.
The activists have drawn up an alternative ‘Jan Lokpal Bill’ which calls for setting up Lokpal and Lokayuktas (in states) independent from government’s control.
In the activists’ version of the legislation, investigation in any case will have to be completed in one year, and punishment would be a jail term of minimum five years and maximum of life imprisonment.
The government recommends a prison term of minimum six months and maximum seven years as punishment for corruption.
The activists have rejected the Lokpal Bill drafted by the government.
Under the banner of India Against Corruption, Saxena and others are observing the indefinite fast.
“Though only three of us are observing the fast, activists of several small social outfits have now started supporting us. The activists are visiting us and are staging a sit-in to support the Hazare’s campaign,” said Saxena.
Social activists from Sitapur, Lakhimpur, Rae Bareli and other districts of Uttar Pradesh are supporting Saxena.
He said that political outfits are also visiting him to extend their support, but none has been allowed to participate in the demonstrations as it would “politicise the issue”.