ID :
186489
Sat, 06/04/2011 - 23:13
Auther :

Fasts, dharnas in many states in support of Baba Ramdev

New Delhi, Jun 4 (PTI) People from all walks of life
and social organisations in different parts of the country
Saturday extended support to yoga guru Baba Ramdev's
indefinite strike against corruption by observing fasts,
holding dharnas and performing 'hawans'.
In north Indian city of Patna, activists of more than
60 social, religious and spiritual organisations joined a
demonstration under the banner of the trust of Patanjali Yoga
Samiti at Kargil chowk to support Ramdev.
Ashish Kumar Sinha, convener of the Patajali Yoga
Samiti in Patna District, said over 100 people sat on fast at
different district headquarters in support of Ramdev.
Teachers, social activists, students and people from
different sections of the society expressed support to
Ramdev's satyagraha.
"The agitation will not be withdrawn in Bihar as long
as Ramdev's satyagraha will continue in Delhi against
corruption and bringing black money stashed away abroad back
to India," Sinha said, adding campaign vehicles were being
flagged off to various destinations to mobilise people's
support.
Ramdev's supporters across north-eastern Indian city
of Assam also joined his agitation in Guwahati and Dibrugarh.
A large number of the Baba's followers gathered at the
Last-Gate Field in Dispur, next to the state secretariat, for
demanding repatriation of black money stashed away abroad.
Arrangements for the agitational programme were made
by the Assam unit of Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Yoga Samity and
the Bharat Swabhiman Trust.
In Nagpur, supporters of Ramdev extended support to
him by performing a 'hawan' and singing 'bhajans'. Members of Yuva Swabhiman, headed by Badnera MLA Ravi
Rana, gathered at the Reserve Bank square on the busy national
highway in central part of Nagpur early today and performed
'hawan' and sang 'bhajans' to express their solidarity.
Ramdev was praised in their speeches by local leaders
on the occasion.
In Lucknow, activists of various social organisation
staged a dharna.
The demonstration, which started to support Ramdev
would continue till the evening and would be held everyday
till the yoga guru continues his hunger strike, former
university student leader and social activist Shantanu Sharma
said.
Braving scorching heat, teachers, student leaders,
former corporators and members of Lucknow Vyapar Mandal
assembled at Jhulelal Park to raise their voice against
corruption.
The yoga guru brushing aside government's persuasion
began his protest along with thousands of his followers,
including leaders from Sikh, Jain and Muslim communities, at
the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi early in this morning.
46-year-old Ramdev's demands include promulgation of
an ordinance to bring back black money from abroad, enactment
of a law for capital punishment of corrupt people and
confiscation of ill-gotten wealth. In Kolkata, supporters of Baba Ramdev expressed
solidarity with yoga guru Ramdev.
They staged a rally at the Esplanade area during which
they expressed their resolve to be with Ramdev in his crusade
against corruption.
In Rajkot in Maharashtra, large number of activists of
various NGOs staged a sit-in near Tricaun Baug area and
extended their support to the Yoga guru. Rashtriya Swyamsevak
Sangh (RSS) members also joined the stir.
In Tamil Nadu, hundreds of supporters of Baba Ramdev
staged a day-long fast at various places across the state.
In Chennai, scores of persons belonging to Ramdev's
Patanjali Trust and some pro-Hindu outfits like Hindu Makkal
Katchi held protest near the women's arts college off
arterial Anna Road.
Similar protests were held in districts including
Coimbatore, Villupuruam, Kancheepuram, Salem and Namakkal,
police said.
A Coimbatore report said the protestors, including a
few women, under the banner of Bharat Nirmaan Trust (BNT) and
Pantanjali Trust, were supported by over 100 people who began
a relay hunger strike.
People from different walks of society sat on dharnas
and observed fasts at some places in Chandigarh and Panchkula
in Haryana to extend support to Ramdev. Hundreds of people gathered at the Freedom Park in
Bangalore to express solidarity to Baba Ramdev's stir.
The participants erected banners having the yoga
guru's photo and slogans supporting his campaign.
In Jaipur people belonging to different groups began
the sit-in at Udyog maidan under the banner of Bharat
Swabhiman Evam Pantanjali Yoga Samiti.
District coordinator Ashok Gautam said that the sit-in
will begin at 7 am and continue till 9 pm everyday till Ramdev
continues his fast.
In Goa, several people have launched an indefinite
hunger strike at the Azad Maidan in Panaji supporting the yoga
guru.
Bharat Swabhiman Trust's Goa coordinator Kamlesh
Bandekar said that around 109 people observed a token hunger
strike.
"We expect 200 people to join for token hunger strike
tomorrow," he said. In the north Indian state of Uttarakhand, hundreds of
supporters of Baba Ramdev gathered in the Gandhi park in
Dehradun to extend their solidarity to his fast.
A large number of people observed a day-long fast near
Yumkeshwar in Pauri district. Other areas of the state
including Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Tehri, Haridwar
and Almora also saw rallies in support of the yoga guru.
In the state of Punjab, people from different walks of
life sat on dharnas and observed fasts at some places in
Jalandhar.

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