Full faith in Anna's movement, say whistle-blowers' families, friends

New Delhi, March 25 (IANS) Families of whistle-blowers who were killed after they raised voice against corruption joined Anna Hazare's day-long fast at Jantar Mantar Sunday and expressed full faith in the movement for a stringent anti-corruption law.

The family of Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Narendra Kumar Singh, who was killed on March 8 allegedly by the mining mafia in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh after he tried to seize vehicles carrying illegally-mined stones and sand, turned up to support Hazare.

Raj Kumar Singh, brother of the slain officer, said they were supporting Anna Hazare in his fight against corruption so that innocent people can live safely and continue their fight against corruption.

"We have full faith in the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) which has started its probe in the case... My brother has lost his life while fighting against corruption, we support Anna Hazare's anti-corruption movement so than no more whistle-blowers meet such a fate in their fight against corruption," he said.

Hazare's fast demanding that parliament adopt the Jan Lokpal bill with a stronger whistle-blower protection provision was also joined by Bhagwandas Dhakan, friend of Right to Information (RTI) activist Amit Jethwa, who was shot dead outside the Gujarat High Court in July 2010 for going to court over illegal mining in the reserve forest.

Dhakan, also an RTI activist said: "Government is worried about terrorists, Maoists... but not worried about whistle-blowers."

"We want Jan Lokpal Bill to come into force and faithful innocent officials to be protected."

Seeking CBI inquiry into the death of his friend, Dhakan said: "We are seeking CBI inquiry in the case, and we are with Team Anna as they are fighting against the corruption."

"It is the issue of large concern, every now and than whistle-blowers are being killed by the corrupt people, all we are demanding is our basic right to safety," he added.

Tushar Sharma, who lost his father Mahendra Sharma, a clerk in the health department in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur, in February this year, also supported Hazare's movement.

"The Uttar Pradesh government has recommended a CBI probe into the death of my father whose body was recovered a week after he went missing on Feb 7. He was killed because of NRHM funding scam as he refused to sign some documents to settle some accounts," Tushar said.

"I and my family are supporting the anti-corruption movement started by Anna, as it will wash away the corruption from our country, and no whistle-blower's son will lose his father," he added.