COMMUNITY:
Anti-corruption Activist: Anna Hazare Visits SF Bay Area
Anna Hazare visited San Francisco Bay Area last month. Siliconeer caught up with him at the Sunnyvale Hindu Temple, Aug. 24. He also spoke at the ICC in Milpitas, Calif., the night before, and at Stanford University as well.
(Above): Anna Hazare arriving at the Sunnyvale Hindu Temple, Aug. 24., escorted by Neeraj Dhar (r). [Photo: Amar D. Gupta | Siliconeer]
Leader of the masses in India and the man behind the largest anti-corruption movement in India, Anna Hazare was recently visiting the San Francisco Bay Area. Siliconeer caught up with him at the Sunnyvale Hindu Temple, where he briefly stopped for a meet with the community.
Upon his arrival, Anna was warmly greeted by the temple officials, Naranji Patel and Raj Bhanot, and escorted into the main temple hall for a traditional welcome. He offered prayers at the temple and then met the audience in the adjoining dining hall to share a few words with them.
(Above): Anna Hazare with Sunnyvale Temple’s Naranji Patel (l), Raj Bhanot (r), and Ashok Gupta (behind). [Photo: Amar D. Gupta | Siliconeer]
The audience was thrilled to see Anna in person, evident by the way they had gathered and waited patiently for about an hour, some wearing the symbolic “I am Anna” caps, some sharing poetry, the wave of patriotism could be sensed as emcee Archana Panda shared a bouquet of poems on the current political situation in India and patriotism.
A lady sang the famous Lata Mangeshkar song, “Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon.”
(Above): Anna Hazare offers prayers at the Sunnyvale Hindu Temple, Aug. 24. [Photo: Amar D. Gupta | Siliconeer]
Anna Hazare took the podium, speaking in Hindi.
He said it has been twenty years since he started fighting the corruption battle.
His persistence has shown some results. Six cabinet ministers in Maharashtra were sent packing because of Anna. Then there were about four hundred government officials who also faced the same fate.
According to Anna, “Yeh meri pooja hai. Yeh seva hai, koi apechcha nahin.”
Anna Hazare shared the five principles of his life, “Anna ne apne jeevan main itna bhi daag nahi lagne diya. Isi liye Anna bana hai. Shudh achaar, shudh vichaar, nishkalank jeevan, jeevan mein tyaag … insult peene ki shakti, yeh paanch baatein jeevan mein hone se Anna ban jaoge.”
(Above): Anna Hazare explaining the five principles of his life. [Photo: Amar D. Gupta | Siliconeer]
Mukesh Mowji, one of the event organizers said, “When we came here, when we started the program, we were told that history happens as time goes by. This is a moment in history, but history is best remembered by children, because a hundred years from now, India should be what we want it to be for these people (the children). He (a child) was standing in front and he said that, all I want is Anna’s signature, because if he gets that, we make history for him.” He thanked Anna on behalf of the Hindu Temple of Sunnyvale, its board and organizers.
(Above): Anna Hazare signs an autograph for a young admirer. [Photo: Amar D. Gupta | Siliconeer] |
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