Rajnikanth supports Hazare's movement

Chennai, Aug 23 (IANS) Superstar Rajnikanth Tuesday extended support to social activist Anna Hazare's India Against Corruption (IAC) movement and said corruption is a disease which needs to be uprooted from the Indian society.

"There can be no doubt that corruption is a dreaded disease that needs to be weeded out from the Indian society. I am very happy that we have a very able and dedicated leader in Anna Hazare to lead us in this fight against corruption. I whole-heartedly support the India Against Corruption Movement in their campaign to get Jan Lokpal bill legislated in parliament," Rajnikanth said in a statement to IAC.

"I congratulate all the Indians who have lent their support to this bloodless revolution. This kind of peaceful movement is possible only in India which is the birthplace of satyagraha. I am very proud to be an Indian," he added.

IAC has welcomed Rajnikanth's support, with a statement: "This support should go a long way in creating an awareness among the public on Anna Hazare, Jan Lokpal bill and India Against Corruption."

Tamil film artists, directors, producers and technicians from associations like Tamil Film Producers Council, Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI), and South Indian Artists Association, went on a one-day token fast from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to support Hazare in his fight for the implementation of the Lokpal bill.

Film Federation of India (FFI) president L. Suresh had called for the support of the Tamil film industry through media.

However, Rajnikanth's fans expressed that he should express his support through a statement, rather than by fasting to avoid his health from deteriorating.

In May, the 60-year-old underwent treatment in a Singapore hospital and is taking medicines regularly to keep himself in good form, said sources close to his family.

Read more »

John Abraham breaks ‘anti-graft handi’ in Hazare’s support

Actor John Abraham Monday expressed his support for Anna Hazare’s anti-graft stir by breaking a special dahi handi named ‘Anti Corruption Handi’ with his forehead.

“I am with Anna. All chors (thieves) should be thrown out,” he told reporters after breaking the handi at Vihangs Palm Club in Thane.

At the handi breaking ceremony on the occasion of Lord Krishna’s birthday there, John supported the girls’ team and cheered for them. The Bollywood hunk, sporting a Gandhi cap, awed the crowd interacting with them in chaste Marathi.

John Abraham, who is set to re-emerge as an action hero with his upcoming cop-film “Force”, chose to use that platform for the music release of the film. Actor Nishikant Kamat and director Vipul Shah accompanied him.

The model-turned-actor made his debut in Bollywood as a passionate lover with “Jism” (2003) and then moved on to action with “Dhoom” (2004) followed by “Kaal” and then the terrorist drama “New York” (2008).

Releasing Sep 30, “Force” is a remake of the Tamil film “Kaakha Kaakha”, where John is paired with Genelia D’Souza.
- IANS

Read more »

Celina Jaitely at Azad Maidan to support Anna Hazare

Anna Hazare’s fast at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi has taken the nation by rage ans sure enough, Bollywood, too, could not remained untouched by the nostalgia. As the Gandhian leader enters the sixth day of his fast on Sunday, he got more support from Bollywood stars as actors Celina Jaitly and Shreyas Talpade came to the Azad Maidan here.

Before this, A.R. Rahman, Shabana Azmi, Shekhar Kapur, Bipasha Basu, Sushmita Sen and Shahid Kapoor have already offered their support in Anna’s fight against corruption. Anupam Kher and Farah Khan even flew down to the capital to participate in the protest.

“Today is a wonderful morning sreyas, deepti talpade (Shreyas’s wife) and myself are on our way to Azaad Maidan to show our support to Anna hazaarey Jai Hind!” Celine posted on micro-blogging site Twitter Sunday.

“Feel enriched/motivated after attending Anna Hazare’s anti corruption gathering @ azad maidan with sreyas & deepti..long live democracy,” she further posted.

Read more »

Rakhi Sawant : Anna is being blackmailed into fasting

Rakhi Sawant

I feel that Anna hazare is being black mailed and his arm twisted to fast. There's an ulterior motive to make Anna fast and the person behind this is Arvind Kejriwal. It's really sad that an old man like Anna who is so clean and pure at heart is being used for some one else’s benefit. I stand by Anna, but am not so sure that his fasting is going to be a solution to the corruption in the country.

To give benefit of doubt to the government, they have been showing signs of wanting to curb this monster of corruption. They put Kalmadi behind bars and took action against him. Also our economy is in a much better shape than the other countries. Even though there are clouds of recession looming over us again, India is in a position to combat it and even sustain the current growth.

My view is that why just corruption? There’s so much of poverty and the issue of rising prices and basic commodities in the country. Why not tackle that? I don’t want to sit with Anna and fast because I feel that the biggest issue in the country is the farmers committing suicide, the villagers not being able to afford a basic two course meal. Rather than increasing the prices of vegetables and basic stuff, they should hike the rates of expensive items that are not necessary like accessories and cars and other things.

I feel that Arvind Kejriwal is the real face and Anna is just the mask. He’s using some one like Anna to give this whole revolution a political shift. My question to Kiran Bedi who is also part of this protest is that, if you were in the police force and in office would you take part in the agitation or would you follow the orders of the government. I have many questions to ask.

It is sad that a honest and sincere man like Anna is being used as a bait for other people and their selfish motives.

Read more »

Minissha Lamba Regards Anna Hazare As Second Gandhi

Minissha Lamba, Tusshar Kapoor and Shreyas Talpade were in their element at a promotional video shoot of a song number for Hum Tum Shabana, the hilarious flick helmed by Sagar Ballary.

The mood, however, turned all somber at the suburban Mumbai venue when social crusader Anna Hazare was mentioned. “Anna Hazare is the second Gandhiji that India needs,” asserted Minissha Lamba. “It is the constitutional right of any Indian citizen to peacefully protest against what they feel is injustice. If the Government is not allowing Anna Hazare to do that, what is the point of being a citizen of the largest democracy in world, if one cannot exercise that right.”

Added she significantly, “It’s time we have a Government that respects our Constitution and grants us our basic rights. Anna Hazare’s fight is against injustice. It’s the fight of the common man of India and Anna Hazare’s fight surely affects him.”

Read more »