Ahilyanagar (Maharashtra): Veteran social activist Anna Hazare on Thursday launched a two-hour ‘Maun Andolan’ (silent protest) at the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Ahilyanagar, Maharashtra, in solidarity with students protesting in Delhi over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations. The protest began at 11 a.m. and concluded at 1 p.m., after which Hazare returned to his native village, Ralegan Siddhi.
A day before the protest, Hazare wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing anguish over reports of violence and police action during the student demonstrations in the national capital. In his letter, he urged the Centre to treat the agitation as a reflection of public concern rather than merely a law-and-order issue. He appealed to the government to engage with the protesters through dialogue and restore confidence in the country’s examination system.
Hazare also said that if Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan were asked to step down, it would strengthen accountability rather than weaken the government. He stressed that the concerns of students deserve a fair hearing and called for constructive discussions to resolve the ongoing crisis peacefully.
The veteran Gandhian has consistently advocated non-violent methods of protest and has extended his support to the students’ movement, emphasizing transparency, accountability, and reforms in the conduct of competitive examinations
