Panaji:
Anna Hazare's influence seems to be everywhere. Now, members of a civil society group in Goa have asked ministers in the Congress-led coalition government to observe Thursday as a 'bribe-free day' in support of the veteran Gandhian.
Tired of the many scandals tumbling out of the Goa cabinet's closet and inspired by Hazare's crusade against corruption, the Village Groups of Goa (VGG), an umbrella group of several vigilante civil society organisations, said the "moral spinoffs" of the civil society leader's fight had reached the state.
"If they cannot be non-corrupt forever, we have asked every cabinet minister in Goa to at least observe one bribe-free day to show their support for Anna Hazare," John Pereira, the VGG convenor, said.
"We are telling every minister not to accept bribes or discuss any deals which can involve kickbacks," Pereira said. He added that the VGG members would visit the homes of Goa's ministers and silently hold placards in front of the ministers "thanking them for not accepting bribes on the day".
Goa, in the last few years, has been rocked by repeated corruption in a wide range of sectors, which includes mining, narcotics, fake currency, excise and midday meals.