Jan Lokpal Bill: Lawyers stay away from work in Bihar in support of Anna Hazare

PATNA: Around 5,000 lawyers under the banner of the Patna District Bar Association (PDBA) today boycotted the proceedings of the civil court here expressing their solidarity with Anna Hazare in his fight against corruption.

The office-bearers of the Association held an emergency meeting here this morning and decided to stay away from work, Association's President J P Singh and Secretary Arvind Kumar Sinha said.

Meanwhile, Bihar unit of ' India Against Corruption', the umbrella body of the citizen's movement fighting for a strong Lokpal, launched a wider contact programme in the state from today to create awareness among the people against corruption.

Convener of Bihar unit of IAC Sanjay Dutta said that during the contact programme, the activists would apprise the people of the reasons leading to the arrest of Anna Hazare and his campaign for the Jan Lokpal bill.

The contact programme is being carried out after the successful demonstrations, padyatras, marches, fast and candlelight processions brought out by the IAC activists across the state.

"Our activists are visiting every village and town in the state as part of wider campaign expressing solidarity with the movement launched by Gandhian social activist Anna Hazare against corruption," he said.