HYDERABAD: It started off as an early morning sit-in of a few enthusiastic volunteers. But by the time the sun rose overhead, over 200 people, young and old, had assembled at the Dharna Chowk near the Indira Park to express their solidarity with Anna Hazare’s fast which started in Mumbai on Tuesday.Organised by the India Against Corruption-Hyderabad chapter, supporters of the dharna here constantly shifted their attention between an LCD TV that beamed live proceedings of the ongoing parliamentary debate, and shouting slogans like Anna tum sangharsh karo, hum tumharein saath hain (Anna you continue your struggle, we are with you) and Ek do teen chaar, bandh karo yeh brashtachaar (One, two, three, four, stop this corruption).The crowd comprised not just society’s out of work populace, but also techies, students and businessmen who took time off from work to support the Gandhian. “I have been affected by corruption a lot in my daily life like paying unwanted challans to police just so I can ply my vehicle. So, this protest of mine is against the corruption. If by paying a bribe I have been party to corruption, I don’t mind being arrested as well,” said Babu, an auto-driver who takes a keen interest in social activism.And while more like-minded people such as Babu continued with slogan raising, around half a dozen men sitting on the mini-stage erected chose to remain mum, but only because they were on a fast as Anna Hazare. The fasting men included producer and artist Chandrasekhar, six-time Nandi award winner S Hari Babu, Shaikh Jan Siddah, a senior software engineer and a few RTI activists.But the event got really spiced up when two different rallies, organised from different destinations in the city by the All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO), All India Mahila Sangam Society and All India Democratic Youth Organisation joined the dharna.The rallies brought in a lot of school going youngsters, most of whom were unaware of the depths of the Lokpal Bill but chose to protest against the rampant corruption in the country, rather than complain. “We may not be aware of the intricacies of the ongoing debate and the Jan Lokpal Bill, but we sure do support Anna’s cause because we believe it is against corruption,” said 17-year-old Mahinder, who bunked his 12th std classes just to be part of the movement.“We want the CBI to be autonomous, just like how Hazareji is demanding. See how the case against Jagan Mohan Reddy in the state is being slowly swept under the carpet while the CBI is unable to pursue the case independently,” added Ranjeeth, another 17-year-old. He and his friends are hoping they can make it for the remaining two days of the protest as well, even if it means a cut on their study time.And as the crowd continued to swell towards late afternoon, hawkers and tea vendors set up stalls outside, some even approaching the fasting volunteers offering a glass of hot, piping tea, unmindful of the event or the purpose surrounding it.
Comments
0 comment