Include Anna in school textbooks, says BJP

RANCHI: At a time when the BJP is making all efforts to gain maximum political mileage out the anti-corruption movement spearheaded by Anna Hazare, one minister in the BJP-led coalition government in Jharkhand has come up with a proposal of including it in the school curriculum.

Human resource development minister, Baijnath Ram, while expressing his views in support of Anna said here on Saturday that he was spellbound by the mass support a non-political leader got. "I would propose to include this episode in the school curriculum so that the new generation understands the real meaning of leadership, which is often mistaken for political leadership," he said.

As the hunger strike of Anna entered the fifth day on Saturday, support for his movement kept growing with protesters adopting new methods to grab attention. Members of a capital-based NGO hanged effigies of former Union minister A Raja, Suresh Kalmadi and Chaibasa MP Madhu Koda in public and carried out the last rites in a symbolic end of corruption. The programme was followed by rallies and protest marches by different groups. Albert Ekka Square, the main venue of protest, wore a festive look all day. Every now and then students, social organizations and groups arrived at the main square displaying placards and banners. "If Anna says the demonstrations and support of youth are his source of energy, then we have pledged to never allow him to starve," said Annie of St Xavier's College. She was there along with 200 other students from the college. School students began the day by lighting candles at different roundabouts. Others took out processions with their respective institution heads.

Late in the evening, Friends of Anna Club organized Ek shaam Anna ke naam at the Albert Ekka in which professional singers presented patriotic songs. Between the cultural programmes, the platform was utilized to encourage more and more people to support the Jan Lokpal bill so that Parliament is compelled to adopt the people's version of the anti-corruption bill instead of the bill that was circulated among the masses in the form of advertisements on Saturday.

Lohardaga: Senior citizens from different walks of life on Saturday joined the ongoing campaign to support Anna Hazare's demand. Elderly people took out a procession and sat on a dharna in front of the collectorate gate and were joined by many others under the joint banners of Bharat Swabhiman Trust and Jan Sangharsh Samiti.