Anna draws big crowd

Heavy police deployment and lack of connectivity could not deter the common man from joining the Gandhian activist in his protest against the crackdown on Baba Ramdev and his supporters.

The government had imposed Section 144 on New Delhi which includes Jantar Mantar area as well.  So, Hazare was not given permission to hold his fast there. There was an apprehension that the change of venue may make Anna’s fast a flop.

Sweating in severe heat, young and middle-aged from all corners of Delhi and nearby areas thronged the Father of Nation’s memorial to cheer the tirade against UPA ministers, MPs and political parties.

Posters, banners and placards had messages that the system has become so corrupt that it needs immediate correction.

If a street play narrates politicians can sale everything, including the nation, a song comes to inspire the people to fight against this. Patriotic songs in popular tunes inspired even Hazare to recite two lines of a song in his spiritualism-loaded speech—Dil diya hai jaan bhi denge, Aie  watan tere liye (I have given my heart, I will give my life also, Oh,  my Nation!).

Keeping in view the mood of the place, Gandhian prayers were also sung at frequent intervals.

Congress leaders Digvijay Singh and Kapil Sibal were the common target because of their statements defending the police crackdown on Ramdev.

Whenever civil society member Arvind Kejriwal mentioned Sibal’s name in his speech, the crowd chanted in unison: “Kapil Sibal Murdabad (Down down Kapil Sibal)”. The crowd  even asked Kejriwal not to take his name as, according to them,  Sibal  does not deserve it.