TV actors come out on streets in support of Hazare

Mumbai: Support kept pouring in for Anna Hazare as people from the television industry, autorickshaw and taxi drivers took to the streets here today to express solidarity with the Gandhian fasting in Delhi for a strong Lokpal Bill.

Chanting patriotic songs and slogans, over 800 people, including actors, directors, choreographers, technicians and others from the Indian Television Academy and film industry took out a march from Juhu Circle to Juhu Beach. "We are extending our support to Anna Hazare. We appeal to our government to act (on the issues raised by Hazare) before it`s too late. They are not respecting the emotions of the common man," filmmaker Ashok Pandit told reporters. "Today, people have lost faith in the government as a lot of scams have been unearthed", he alleged. Actor-producer Shashi Ranjan said "we want to make it clear that we want an end to corruption. History has been created as people have been coming out in large numbers. The good part is that Anna is doing it in a peaceful and democratic way." Actors Anu Kapoor, Kushal Punjabi, Monica Bedi, Rohit Roy, Sambhava Sheth, Ronit Roy, Mansi Joshi, Mona Singh, Rajan Sahi and Prem Sagar among others also voiced support for Hazare. Over 20 pro-Hazare rallies were reported from across the metropolis, including a rally of over 300 auto-rickshaws in Nallaspora, taxi, bike, ambulance rally from Ghatkopar and a candle march. "In the rickshaw rally, drivers and other people were educated about intricacies of Jan Lokpal Bill and the difference between Lokpal and Jan Lokpal Bill. About 100-125 ambulances took part in a rally from Ghatkopar to Azad Maidan in support of Hazare," Mannan Gandhi, Co-ordinator, India Against Corruption (IAC) said. A group of 150 volunteers on 75 bikes and eight cars took out a rally in suburban Borivali. More than 500 people of ten housing societies took part in a candle march from Mazgaon, Gandhi said. Over 60 people are on an indefinite fast at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai in support of the 73-year-old anti-corruption crusader, Gandhi added. PTI