By IANS,
New Delhi : Enthused and excited by Anna Hazare’s statement that the youth was the nation’s hope, youngsters at Jantar Mantar, where the veteran Gandhian sat on a 97-hour fast, said Saturday they will carry forward his crusade against corruption.
“We want to tell Annaji that he can take a little rest now. We will take the movement forward,” Sandeep Sharma, 21, said.
Ending his fast-unto-death for a stringent anti-graft Lokpal Bill Saturday morning, Hazare saluted the youth and urged them to take the movement ahead.
“The youth support is a symbol of hope, they have to take the movement ahead. The fact that youth of the whole nation stood with us is a ray of hope,” Hazare said.
“We will take this forward, because this is for the future of our country and our future. It’s a new awakening for the country’s youth. It brings inspiration and hope that change can be brought,” said 19-year-old Ajay Nair, a student of Delhi University’s Venkateshwara College.
“When a 73-year-old can do this, then why can’t we? Everybody in the country is echoing what Anna Hazare has said. People understand that this is a long movement and the youth are ready to take the lead. We only request Anna ji to take some rest because now the youth will take ahead the fight against corruption,” said Shalini, 25.
Ajay Rahul, who has been running a Facebook page to support Hazare from the protest site, said that the movement had inspired the young generation of the country and will bring everlasting effects.
“Youth got a chance to think. There will come a day when parents will not ask their children how much marks they got but how many people they helped,” he said.
However, Sikha Sharma, 24, rued that youngsters don’t have a proper understanding of corruption.
“Today, education is the most corrupt department in the country. Students are asked to pay lakhs of rupees in the form of donation for admission in colleges,” she said.
Anna Hazare who sat on his fast Tuesday morning, broke his fast Saturday after government agreed to include five civil society members in the committee to draft the anti-graft Lokpal bill.