Indian expatriates in Europe have come out in support of Anna Hazare’s campaign with anti-corruption rallies being held in Britain and France.
In London, people in Gandhi caps and wrapped up in the Indian tri-colour gathered near India House to demand a strong and effective anti-corruption law. They carried placards and raised slogans calling for a “corruption-free India”.
“We are ordinary Indians and our message is simple and clear: we want an effective and transparent system to check corruption and we want everyone regardless of their political affiliation to support Anna’s campaign,” said one protester.
A rally was also held outside the Oval cricket ground, the venue of India-England Test match.
Avinash Dadhich, a law student, who is on a hunger strike in solidarity with Hazare, said “enough is enough” referring to the widespread corruption in India.
“People are the victims of corruption,” he said.
In Paris, a group of Indians mobilised by students using Facebook gathered at “Place de la Bastille” in support of Hazare’s movement.
“Our prime objective was to show to our Indian counterparts that we were also with them in their movement against corruption. The response we got was far beyond what we had expected,” organisers said .
Amit Durgaprasad, a spokesman, said some travelled long distances from outside Paris to attend the protest.
In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, they urged him to “engage the civil society fully” while drafting an anti-corruption law.
Corruption in India had assumed “mammoth proportions” affecting every aspect of society. But there was now a “new awakening” and the Indian diaspora wanted to be a part of it.
“Now we see a social awakening happening in India — fellow Indians standing up to say that corruption cannot be tolerated any more. One frail old man has instilled faith in us that we can still fight corruption,” the letter said.
