Activist and veteran Gandhian Anna Hazare and his colleagues associated with 'India Against Corruption Movement' will visit Ahmedabad next week on May 26, 2011.
It may be mentioned here that danseuse and political activist Mallika Sarabhai had written a letter to Anna Hazare inviting him to Ahmedabad to see corruption in Gujarat.
Out of 230 cities that sent out invitations, Anna Hazare's team has chosen around 10-12 cities to visit and Ahmedabad is one of them in light of the Gandhi- Sardar traditions and Navnirman-JP movements. Anna will be joined by Kiran Bedi, Swami Agnivesh and Arvind Kejriwal on the trip which will see a packed schedule with 15 to 20 groups meeting with him to discuss development in Gujarat in the morning .
While around 200 citizens of the city will interact and debate with Anna on drafting of the Jan Lokpal draft bill, the evening will see Anna address will address a public meeting for Amdavadis at Sardar Baug in the evening at 7.30.
While talking to the press from Darpana Academy, Sudarshan Iyengar, Vice Chancellor of Gujarat Vidyapeeth who is part of the team that will welcome Anna's visit said, "Groups will meet and discuss on agendas like Gram swaraj, clauses of the Jan Lokpal bill and Gujarat Givernment's claims of being a developed state. Even the funds for the public rally will be raised by donation from the public."
Kanu Kalsaria, the BJP MLA who led the farmer- protest movement from Mahuva in Gujarat is also expected to meet with Anna during his visit to the city.
A citizens march on May 23 is also being organised in Ahmedabad to spread the message of Anna's visit! Hazare had started a 'fast unto death' to exert pressure on the government of India to enact a strong anti-corruption act as envisaged in the Jan Lokpal bill with a fast that ended on 9 April 2011.
