Technical, BPO workers skip lunch to support Anna's campaign in Pune

Nearly 10,000 info-tech (IT) professionals and employees of BPO (business process outsourcing) companies in the Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park in Hinjewadi on Thursday formed a 2-km-long human chain to express their solidarity with the veteran Gandhian and anti-corruption crusader, Anna Hazare.

While 3,000 employees took part in a human chain protest during lunch hours, 7,000 others took part in a short protest march after 3 pm.

These professionals, who refrain from taking part in any kind of agitation, skipped lunch to take part in this unique stir, stretching from Infosys Circle to Mind Tree Ltd.

They raised slogans like ‘Main bhi Anna, tu bhi Anna, ab to sara desh hai Anna.’

These techies apparently took an impromptu decision to organise a peaceful protest after an email was circulated by activists of India Against Corruption and Bharat Swabhiman on the issue.

So charged were the techies that they skipped lunch and formed a human chain during lunch break.

Employees from Digital Group, Infosys Technologies Ltd, Wipro Technologies, Siemens PLM Software India Pvt Ltd and Mind Tree Ltd were on the forefront to galvanise the gathering in support of Anna Hazare’s indefinite hunger strike.

An IT professional, Ravinder Kumar, who took part in the human chain remarked, “As citizens of the country it is our duty to support issues raised by Anna Hazare.”

Dr Gitesh Devhane, a member of India Against Corruption, and who was instrumental in circulating the email said, “The response from the IT professionals was overwhelming. The stir took place in a disciplined manner.”

“All the employees participated wholeheartedly and without any force and stepped out of their offices on their own to support the good cause of Jan Lokpal Bill and Anna Hazare,” Devhane said.

Saurabh Patil, working with Cognizant Technologies Solutions India Pvt Ltd said, “The gathering was so huge that traffic was disrupted.”