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From students to office-goers to businessmen, everyone put their lives on hold for a day to be part of the Anna Hazare movement at Azad Maidan

The scene at Azad Maidan looked like a still out of a Manoj Kumar film, with thousands chanting slogans and singing patriotic songs.


Pic/Atul Kamble

The mood in the air was that of agitation and anger. With the arrest of the anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare, hundreds collected at the ground to protest his arrest. Things took a turn for the worse when they wanted to court arrest.

The protest began at 10 am at Azad Maidan after Hazare was arrested from an east Delhi residence for "intending to defy prohibitory orders".

By 11.30 am, thousands had arrived at the ground to participate in the agitation and several supporters and volunteers of India Against Corruption urged others to support the cause.

Suyog Shelar, who had shut shop for a week as a token of support, said, "I have decided not to work for a week and I have been asking people to join the cause. Out of ten people, nine agree and support the andolan."

Where's the jail?
At 2 pm, people participating in the protest at Azad Maidan began to court arrest while chanting boisterous shouts of "Vande Mataram" and "Bharat Mata ki Jai."

Obliging their request, cops started to bundle them into vans, escorting them to Azad Maidan police station.

But protestors didn't hold back and continued to keep up their protests and chanting. When they arrived at the police station, they were assembled in the compound of the station, which further angered the crowds.

A commotion broke out with steadfast supporters asking to be jailed. In an attempt to appease the crowds, Naval Bajaj, the additional commissioner of police said that they too had been arrested under Section 68 of the Bombay Police Act.

No work, no class
It seemed that the financial capital of the country had put business on the backburner as several had given work amiss to support the Jan Lokpal Bill and to protest the arrest of Hazare.

Devendra Bhat, a realtor from Borivli, said, "I have locked up my office for the next eight days as I plan to participate in the protest. Money is not as important as is the formation of the Bill."

Echoing the same sentiments, Samir Chaturvedi, a student, said, "I missed college for a good cause."

Not welcome
And while volunteers were trying to gather more crowds at Azad Maidan for the protest, there were some who were not welcome.

BJP's city chief Raj Purohit was one such victim, who was turned away from the gates of Azad Maidan. Purohit tried to enter the grounds with his entourage, waving BJP flags.
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But they were spurned, as protesters didn't want the issue to take on political hues. They were allowed entry only after they vowed not to use the flags.
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Another victim was Arup Patnaik, the commissioner of police who was welcomed with anti-police slogans when he entered the grounds.

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