CHENNAI: Nineteen volunteers fasted for the ninth consecutive day on Wednesday in support of Anna Hazare’s call for a strong Lokpal Bill. Two of them had contracted jaundice as a result of their fasting, but they refused to be taken to hospital and continued to fast at the construction site in Thiruvanmiyur, which has become the rallying point of the city as far as the Lokpal demonstrations are concerned.The crowd that gathered at the venue of the fast has picked up over the past nine days and has seen a wide range of people coming in to voice their support. Wednesday saw well over 2,000 students from various colleges take out a peace march to the Rajaji Bhavan in Besant Nagar.The students, most of whom had the tricolour painted on their faces, raised slogans and waved the national flag, quite a spectacle for those passing through the M G Road in Adyar.Even as they marched, concern remained high for those who continued to fast in solidarity with Hazare. Fifty-one people had started their indefinite fast on August 16. The number has now come down to 19 with most of the fasters hospitalised.The extent of concern was for all to see when the volunteers dropped all their work to jump up and greet Murali, who had been hospitalised in the wee hours of Wednesday, on his return to the venue. As he walked in slowly, wearing a dhoti and a tricolour Nehru cap with the word ‘Anna’ written on it, a number of people hugged him and shook his hand, as patriotic songs blared over the speakers in the background.
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