By IANS,
Shimla : Protests in support of Anna Hazare gained momentum in Himachal Pradesh Monday with thousands of people coming out here and other towns to express solidarity with the veteran activist fasting for a strong anti-graft law.
A procession was taken out in the town, once the summer capital of British India, to press for a strong Lokpal bill.
Elsewhere, several activists continued with indefinite hunger strikes and staged protests to support Anna’s crusade.
“We will not allow the movement to die down. The government has to bend and bring a strong bill to counter corruption in the high-ups,” Meenakshi Chaudhary, a college student, told IANS.
Hundreds of Anna’s supporters, mainly the youth, were seen shouting slogans on the Mall and the Ridge areas of the town.
Sitting beneath the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on the Ridge on fast for the past five days, 67-year-old Laxmi Chand Thakur from Kasauli town said: “I will fast till Anna Hazare does. I had gone to Delhi to join the movement there, but seeing the rush, I preferred coming to my own state. I started alone. Now you see many people have joined me.”
The protest was organised by the citizens, mainly comprising state and central government employees, senior citizens and lawyers.
The protesters later illuminated candles in front of Gandhi’s statue and pledged to wage war against corruption.
Several activists have been on indefinite hunger strike in Mandi town since Aug 16 to express solidarity with Anna.
Similar solidarity processions were also taken out in Solan, Una, Kangra, Dharamsala, Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Chamba towns.
Meanwhile, the state unit of the Communist Party of India-Marxist gave a call for statewide protest Tuesday.