Ralegan Siddhi villagers donate blood on Day 7 of Anna Hazare’s fast

Two hundred and five villagers from Anna Hazare’s village, Ralegan Siddhi, donated blood to the Chakan blood bank on Monday on day seven of their mentor’s fast in New Delhi.

Senior schoolteacher in the Sant Nilobarai Vidyalaya of Ralegan Siddhi, Subhash Pathare, told DNA on Monday that the blood donation drive was the latest of the many initiatives undertaken by the villagers in support of their Gandhian leader.

According to Pathare, the relay hunger strike continued on Monday with 100 villagers fasting in the main pandal opposite Yadavbaba temple in the heart of the village, between 9am and 5pm.

He said the village youth also participated in a unique dahi handi programme on account of Janmashtami on Monday morning when they broke a mud pot containing copies of the Jan Lokpal Bill.

The evening concluded with bhajans and kirtans in the Sant Yadavbaba (patron saint of the village) temple.