Hazare bug bites city, two RTI activists on fast

Hazare bug bites city, two RTI activists on fast

Express News ServiceFirst Published : 08 Apr 2011 01:59:01 AM ISTLast Updated : 08 Apr 2011 08:18:55 AM IST

CHENNAI: Two Right to Information activists in the city have launched an indefinite hunger strike here, marking the first formal support from Tamil Nadu for anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare. Hazare (72) who is on a fast-unto-death in Delhi demanding the enactment of the Jan Lokpal Bill.


C Selvaraj and V Gopalakrishnan volunteered to fast to build up momentum for the bill in the State, which is yet to evoke a response on a par with the rest of India. “Enactment of the bill is the only constitutional weapon to book tainted senior bureaucrats without any official hurdles,” Selvaraj told Express. Attributing large-scale corruption to top level bureaucrats, he said, “At present, the Governor’s permission is a must to act against any corrupt civil servant holding high post.”

Selvaraj and Gopalakrishnan have the support of several civil right activists. Since Thursday evening, many of them gathered at the Thakkar Bapa Vidyalaya School in T Nagar and expressed their solidarity by holding lighted candles. School students, on their part, prayed for the well-being of Hazare.

Addressing reporters at the event, former chief electoral officer Naresh Gupta stressed that public servants must be free from corruption. Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, he said, “People from across the board -- from politicians to civil servants to businessmen -- must be honest.”

Brushing aside questions on the technicalities in appointing the chairman for the Lokpal Committee, Gupta stated that the Administrative Reforms Commission has supported the bill. He also stated that the bill was based on the functions of Ombudsman, instituted in Sweden in 1809.

On whether he would join the fast, Gupta said he has not decided yet. Meanwhile, the organisers expressed the hope that more people would throng the venue of fast on Friday.