29 July,2011 06:41 AM IST | | Vivek Sabnis
100 women among villagers to support anti-corruption crusader's protest against Lokpal Bill draft on August 16
Even after the cabinet approved the Lokpal Bill drafted by the government, a rather unhappy Anna Hazare said he would go ahead with the agitation. And to support his cause, some 400 people, including 100 women, from his hometown Ralegansiddhi will travel with him to New Delhi for the agitation on August 16.
United we stand: Anna Hazare with Ralegansiddhi village Sarpanch
Jaysingh Mapari (right) at a meeting. Pic/Ganesh Bhosale
"The draft of the Lokpal Bill prepared by the government is a joke. It has several loopholes. We can't accept this draft," said Hazare at a Grampanchayat meeting three days ago in Ralegansiddhi.
The villagers will travel on private buses and trains to go to Delhi three days before the actual agitation.
Ralegansiddhi village Sarpanch Jaysingh Mapari, Deputy Sarpanch Dagdu Mapari and others including Anil Pathare, Dada Pathare, Vilas Pote, Rajaram Gajre have booked train tickets to Delhi. Some of the women joining them will be Indubai Bhalekar, Badambai Bhalekar, Satyabhama Phatangade and Urmila Pathare.
"Over 1,000 villagers from the district place at Parner will also join us," said Mapari.
Kranti Din
The agitation in the village will start on August 9. This was decided by Mapari and his village executive body.
"The day is important because Mahatma Gandhi started his historic Quit India Movement on August 9, 1942, against British rule. This is the second strike against our own rulers to stop the corruption in the country. We are organising a flag march in the morning and a candle march at night," Mapari said. "We shall observe the day with a hunger strike and entire village of 2,300 villagers shall participate in the agitation by Hazare."
The agitation will include a Ghantanaad or ringing of bells in temples. Power will be switched off for two days in the evening to symbolise the darkness the nation is engulfed in, said Mapari.
