Music composer Vishal extends support to Hazare's agitation

A day after team Anna expressed shock over the high rentals demanded by the Maharashtra government for hiring out the MMRDA Grounds in central Mumbai for Anna Hazare's agitation, music composer and singer Vishal Dadlani volunteered to bear one day's cost of the ground.

"The nation needs this movement. I strongly support Annaji and am doing my bit to show I care for my country," Dadlani told IANS. "We are glad Vishal has volunteered to pick up the cost of one day's ground fee of Rs.2 lakh," India Against Corruption (IAC) coordinator Praful Vora told IANS.

However, Vora said that IAC does have the option of holding the satyagraha at Azad maidan. "But then, we will have to restrict the thousands of people who would want to come and support the agitation," said Vora.

"We are considering the MMRDA Grounds just so that we can accommodate more people. But if we are being asked to pay a heavy sum, we will have no option," he said.

Vora said that IAC was shocked at the state government's stance of asking Hazare for a fee of Rs.2 lakh a day for holding satyagraha for a public cause, and that the government has also demanded 75 percent deposit above the basic fee of Rs.2 lakh.

"Vishal has assured IAC that many like-minded people would be happy to pick up these charges even if they are atrocious, we cannot afford to pay Rs.3.5 lakh everyday," he said. Vora said that IAC is heartened by the stance of such eminent Indians who have offered their unflinching support to Hazare in his fight against corruption.

Team Anna members have said that Hazare would shift the venue of his proposed hunger strike starting Dec 27 from New Delhi to Mumbai in view of the harsh winter in the capital.