Students perform a havan to support Anna’s movement, in Motihari on Friday. Pictures by Ajit Kumar Verma

Motihari, Aug. 19: Students and advocates today came out in the open to support social activist Anna Hazare’s crusade against corruption, bunking class and hearings, respectively.

Around 2,000 lawyers boycotted court proceedings and went on hunger strike, much to the discomfiture of 5,000 litigants. The hearing of several cases was postponed owing to the demonstration and hunger strike of the lawyers.

One of the litigants, Mangni Yadav of Bamanpur, said: “Why should we suffer for no fault of ours? The lawyers could have demonstrated in support of Anna on a holiday.”

The lawyers vociferously supported the mission of Anna, though. The Bar association president, Anirudh Prasad Singh, called upon the lawyers to fight against corruption and start agitation against the corrupt lawyers or other functionaries of the court. His predecessor, Satish Prasad Deokuliar, laid stress on starting the process of reformation from self.

Senior additional public prosecutor (APP) Shambhu Sharan Singh, who spoke in length regarding corruption in the court, called upon the fraternity members to bring about a change in their day-to-day activities and imitate Anna’s principles against corruption in life.

In a bit different tune from others, another senior APP of the Bar Ramesh Prasad Singh told The Telegraph: “We all who are supporting Anna Hazare in his mission are required to begin the process from our selves.”

General secretary of the Bar association Rajiv Ranjan Dwivedi, Om Prakash, K.L. Prasad, Anil Kumar Singh, Akhilesh Kumar, Santosh Kumar Singh, Arshad Kamal, Chitranjan Singh, Ashok Kumar Dubey and Rishi Raj were among others to speak at the event.

Cut to Arsyavidya Shikshan Prashikshan Ved Vidyalaya. Its students observed fast and performed havan, praying Anna achieves his goal. But they played truant in classrooms. They had the support of their principal, though.

The principal of Arsyavidya Shikshan Prashikshan Ved Vidyalaya Sushil Kumar Pandey said Anna’s crusade would mark the beginning of a new era in India.

Prisoners’ fast

Prisoners of Gopalganj jail have also joined Anna Hazare’s campaign for Jan Lokpal Bill. Sanjay Singh, Munna Mishra, Mrityunjay Mishra and a dozen other prisoners decided to go on a fast this morning and refused to take breakfast. District magistrate Pankaj Kumar said he had heard about the fast and the prison administration would take action according to the jail manual.

Four others — student leader Lakhan Tiwary, Abhay Kumar, Nitesh Pandey and advocate Mukesh Bharti — who have been fasting to express their support to Anna have been admitted to hospital as their health deteriorated. In Chhapra, Umeshwar Singh and Muni Ram Tiwary are also fasting to express their support to Anna.