Pro-Anna marches, protests, dharnas continue in Jammu

Jammu, Aug 19: Backing Anna Hazare's demand for a Jan Lokpal Bill, people here today (Aug 19) continued with their marches, protests and dharnas for the fourth consecutive day.

Led by Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) state secretary Manoj Kumar, party activists today sat on a dharna near the city railway station in support of a strong Lokpal bill.

Chanting pro-Anna slogans, they lashed at the Congress-led UPA government for arresting the Gandhian and demanded that the Prime Minister and Judges should also be brought under the Lokpal.

"We want that accountability should start from the top - Prime Minister. Rules and regulations are equal for the PM and for the common man," Kumar told reporters.

"PM and Judges should also be made accountable and come under the Lokpal. We back Anna and have started the dharna here in his support," he said.

Over 500 girl students of GCW Gandhi Nagar observed a strike and took out a peaceful rally shouting pro-Anna slogans today.

Chanting slogans of ''Bharat Mata ki Jai'' and ''Vande Matram'', they expressed happiness over Anna's release.

The students also urged the government to concede the demand of adoption of Jan Lokpal bill, including PM and Judges in its ambit.

The lecturers of Government Gandhi Memorial Science College also took out a candle light march in their varsity campus this morning to back Anna's movement on corruption and black-money and strong Lokpal bill.

Led by General Secretary Arun Kandroo, a large number of activists of All Party Migrant Coordination Committee (APMCC) today held a pro-Anna demonstration at Bagwati area of the city.

They also urged the people to come out in support of Hazare.

"Demand of Hazare is every common man's wish. Strong Lokpal will ensure accountability from top - PM. Scams after scams have shaken faith of common people in government and rulers," Kandroo told reporters here.

"There should be Jan Lokpal and not government formulated weak Lokpal, which has loose ends to save people from punishment," he said.

PTI