14 cops manned the entrance, checking IDs of supporters, in a bid to keep out RPI members who were staging their Anti-Hazare rally at far end of the field
14 cops manned the entrance, checking IDs of supporters, in a bid to keep out RPI members who were staging their Anti-Hazare rally at far end of the field
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Azad Maidan, the epicentre of the pro-Anna protest in Mumbai, has been, till date, the most inviting and freely accessible protest ground for supporters from across sections of society.
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But things changed yesterday, with strict security maintained at the entrance to bar entry to members of the Republican Party of India (RPI), who were campaigning against Hazare at the very same venue.
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All were hard at work, screening visitors by checking photo IDs and bags.
They suspiciously eyed aspiring entrants, asking them the intention behind their visit, and tellingly, their surnames, perhaps in a bid to keep out members of the RPI, many of who belong to the Scheduled Castes.
A police official said, "We are afraid that violence may break out between members of the two opposing rallies, and are thus taking precautionary measures."
It wasn't very difficult to distinguish between members of the two opposing camps while the pro-Hazare campaigners sported their customary white Gandhi caps, which proudly proclaimed 'I am Hazare', members of the RPI had chosen blue Gandhi caps, each bearing the tongue-in-cheek rejoinder: 'I am not Anna Hazare.'
The anti-Hazare protestors tried their best to out shout their pro-Hazare opponents, denouncing the Jan Lokpal movement as Brahmanical.
RPI member Sumit Sansare said, "We requested the police to grant us permission to protest at Azad Maidan, but they denied us entry into the spacious ground where the pro-Anna rally is underway.
Instead, they only allowed us use of the ground at the rear end of the Maidan, near Capitol cinema. This is outrageous discrimination. They want to eradicate corruption, but still discriminate against us Dalits, even in matters like this."
Pro-Hazare protestor Anil Chudasama said, "The guards asked to see my photo ID, and allowed entry only after checking what my surname was. If someone is not carrying an ID, will he be denied entry?"
Anna supporter Jayant Rane said, "The police asked me strange questions about my village. I don't see the point of all this, as I have been frequenting the ground almost every alternate day."
IAC member Ramesh Kode said, "If people without photo IDs request entry, we will ask them questions to ensure that they only want to show their support for Hazare, and not their antagonism."u00a0
Bal Thackeray's 8-min call to Anna
Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray held a telephonic conversation with Hazare for almost eight minutes yesterday, urging the latter to call off his fast.
A persistent Anna, however, refused to budge from his stand till his demands were met. Aaditya Thackeray also paid a visit to the Gandhian at the Ramlila Ground, urging him to break his fast.
Hazare told Aaditya that the young leader had the same zeal as his grandfather. Speaking to Aaditya, he said, "Ab ki bari saaf satta dhari,"(the next government will be a clean one).
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