Anna Hazare holds silent protest in support of student protests

Social activist Anna Hazare observed a two-hour silent protest at Ahilyanagar in Maharashtra on Thursday, July 23, extending solidarity to students demonstrating in New Delhi. The 89-year-old leader began his fast at 11 AM at the Mahatma Gandhi statue before returning to his native village, Ralegan Siddhi. The move follows a formal letter Hazare addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing deep distress over reported police action and violence against student demonstrators.

In his letter to the Prime Minister, Hazare emphasized that public dissatisfaction should be viewed as societal expectations rather than a routine law-and-order concern. He advocated for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, noting that such an action would enforce accountability without compromising government stability. Hazare urged central authorities to establish a peaceful atmosphere and seek resolutions through constructive Gandhian dialogue.

Meanwhile, members of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) staged sit-ins at Jantar Mantar and alleged that internet services were shut down at the demonstration site. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke raised concerns over possible police crackdowns and issued appeals to law enforcement personnel to refrain from using force against peaceful student demonstrators.