Crowds rally at Azad Maidan
India Against Corruption (IAC) members on Sunday organised a rally comprising around 200 motorcycles and cars in support of social activist Anna Hazare. Bollywood actor Anupam Kher flagged off the rally. “I have appealed to the film industry, students, farmers and other citizens to join Anna’s movement. I will support Team Anna, whenever it is required,” Kher said.
On being asked about the dwindling number of protesters compared to last year, Anupam Kher said, “The numbers are not less. If people don’t go to temples, it doesn’t mean that they are not religious.”
Supporters, however, turned up in large numbers since it was a holiday. Around 500 people gathered at Andheri station (west) as the rally started. The IAC members hired buses, and also encouraged volunteers to turn up in their vehicles to join the rally. The rally snaked its way through the city stopping at Linking Road in Khar, Vile Parle, Worli Seaface and Flora Fountain as it made its way towards Azad Maidan, where the protesters swelled to more than 2,000 in number.
Actor Ranvir Shorey, who also joined the rally at Azad Maidan, addressed the crowds at the venue and told them to “be patient, as the road to clear a fair Janlokpal bill was going to be a long one.”
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Modi may play bigger role after state polls
YOJNA GUSAI
New Delhi, July 29
Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi is hitting the headlines even before the campaign for the Assembly polls in his state, slated for later this year, takes off. After Samajwadi Party expelled its leader Shahid Siddiqui for interviewing Mr Modi, prominent Congress leader Vijay Darda described the Gujarat CM as a “lion” at a function in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
While Congress was guarded in its response to Mr Darda’s praising Mr Modi, the BJP was quick enough to praise the Congress leader for being “brave enough” to voice what others feel about the Gujarat CM. While the BJP is yet to make up its mind whether or not project Mr Modi as its PM candidate, a majority section within the sangh parivar, including the BJP, wants to see him leading the country. This section feels statements by non-NDA leaders praising Mr Modi will only add up to his claim for the post.
It could be recalled that Gujarat Congress had inadvertently praised Mr Narendra Modi through an advertisement earlier this year, which had embarrassed the Congress leadership.
Speculation is rife in the BJP that after the Assembly polls in Gujarat, Mr Modi would be brought at the national political scene.
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