Team Anna's awareness campaign with assembly in sight

NAGPUR: With the state legislature's winter session starting next week, Team Anna in Nagpur has decided to hold a series of events to highlight their cause. Starting Friday, the four-day long programme will focus on creating awareness about the Jan Lokpal Bill.

India Against Corruption's (IAC) Nagpur chapter has also decided to lend its support to the call given by various organizations for a separate Vidarbha state. City coordinator for IAC Ajay Sanghi said, "This decision was taken by Nagpur chapter after consultation with various stakeholders in Vidarbha. This is not something Anna Hazare has said or decided."

Central core committee members Mayank Gandhi and Shamoon Qasmi too will be in the city to deliver lectures on Jan Lokpal Bill at Tajbagh and Mominpura.

On Friday evening a car and bike rally will start from Congress Nagar and culminate at Tajbagh. There, Gandhi and Qasmi will speak on 'Jan Lokpal Andolan - A golden opportunity in national integration'.

Shakeel Patel, secretary of Khwaja Garib Nawab Foundation, which is organizing the Tajbagh function, said, "We wanted the core committee members to come and dispel doubts in our community. There were rumours that Anna Hazare is connected to the RSS. It was a ploy of the government to alienate minorities from this national movement. Hence, we invited Team Anna to come and address a gathering and put their stand before us."

A similar lecture will be held on Saturday at Mominpura. It is being organized by Urdu Editors Conference. From Sunday onwards, IAC Nagpur will hit the road again by organizing a sit-down protest at National Civil Defence College, near Hislop College, to support Anna's single day fast.

At 6pm, a candle march will start from the venue to Shankar Nagar and back.

IAC had planned a candle march on two more days, but the police have refused them permission to hold more marches. "The authorities have asked us to restrict our candle marches till December 12. We had planned to support various other issues, including a separate Vidarbha, during those days. Now, we will just join other organizations in their candle march on other days," Sanghi said.

BOX

ANNA BRIGADE

Dec 9 (4pm) - Car & bike rally from Sanghi Sadan, Congress Nagar

Dec 9 (8pm) - Lecture by Mayank Gandhi, Shamoon Qasmi and Ajay Sanghi at Tajbagh

Dec 10 (8pm) - Lecture by Mayank Gandhi, Shamoon Qasmi and Ajay Sanghi at Mominpura

Dec 11 (10am) - Protest at National Civil Defence College, near Hislop College

Dec 11 (6pm) - Candle march from National Civil Defence College to Shankar Nagar

Dec 12 (6pm) - Candle march from National Civil Defence College