Edu-leaders

With the pro-Anna Hazare chants getting louder, the teachers' union of Lucknow University and degree colleges in Uttar Pradesh Thursday announced to go on a mass casual leave to support the activist's fight against corruption.

Besides this, the Lucknow University Teachers' Association (LUTA) and the Lucknow University Associated Colleges Teachers' Associations (LUACTA) are holding several programmes later in the day to express their solidarity with Hazare, who is fighting for a stronger Lokpal bill.

LUACTA members also will hold peaceful demonstrations at the Shaheed Smarak, and later form human chains before marching towards the Jhulelal Park.

"Anna Hazare is fighting for a national cause. Let us contribute our bit to support a drive that intends to weed out deep-rooted corruption from our system," said LUACTA General Secretary KK Bajpai.

Meanwhile, according to India Against Corruption (IAC), which backs Hazare, people from various walks of life are converging at the Jhulelal Park to support the anti-graft campaign.

Not only this, about 1,000 students of the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore skipped a meal on Tuesday protesting against Hazare’s arrest. They also resolved to stage sit-in demonstrations everyday till the central government agrees to a strong Lokpal bill.

Hazare had planned to begin his fast for a stronger anti-corruption Lokpal bill in New Delhi on Tuesday. However, Delhi Police imposed certain conditions before allowing the protest. Hazare refused to sign the undertaking, following which the police detained him and his other team members.

The B-school's academic Dean Trilochan Sastri pledged to skip a meal every day until the government agreed to a strong Lokpal bill.

"Students of IIM Ahmedabad, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Gandhinagar, Guwahati and Hyderabad have agreed to join us in support of our cause and set up an online petition to mobilise support for a strong Lokpal to fight against graft in the country," said the students.

Hazare was arrested and subsequently released but refused to leave the jail. But now he will begin his 15-day-long fast at Ramlila ground in Delhi as his conditions have been met.

Source: igovernment