Anna fever returns to Delhi

New Delhi, March 25 (IANS) Anna fever gripped Delhi once again Sunday with thousands filling the capital's dharna hotspot at Jantar Mantar to join the social activist in his token protest demanding justice for the "martyred" whistleblowers who had fought corruption.

Tricolours, Anna caps, patriotic songs - the day-long protest had all its usual ingredients with almost 2,000 people assembled at the venue much before Anna Hazare arrived, after his visit to Rajghat.

"I was there at Jantar Mantar last year, I was at the Ramlila ground and I am here as well. I will stick to the anti-corruption movement till whenever needed," said Vinod Pathak, an employee of a private company and a staunch Anna supporter.

"We have a saying, try and try till you succeed. This is a long struggle, we can't expect victory against corruption so easily," Pathak told IANS when asked about the effectiveness of the campaign.

For freelance photographer, Nishikant Singh, it was an opportunity to participate in Hazare's campaign and capture his idol on film.

"This campaign is something that affects us all," he asserted.

Protestors from several states also came to show solidarity with Anna's campaign.

Mohammed Alam, a painter from Bihar's Gaya, drew a painting on the theme of anti-corruption itself and was walked about with it held high above his head.

"I always paint a new painting during Anna's protests and I made this painting for today's fast. This painting shows how Anna is fighting against the monster of corruption that is trying to devour the democracy," Alam told IANS.

However, the protest also attracted some people who didn't agree with Hazare's ideology.

Atul Mehta said he came from Patna specially for the protest but to "present the true face of Hazare's movement".

"This movement is backed by Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh and I cannot stay blind while these people fool the public and try to create an autocracy in the guise of fighting against corruption," he alleged.

"I got to see the true face of this movement when I was attacked by some RSS goons at last year's Jantar Mantar protests for speaking against Anna's methods," Mehta told IANS.

Delhi resident Vijay Narayan Seth claimed: "It is easy to criticise. The methods used by Team Anna won't do much."

By lunchtime, several people who were unable to find a good spot inside the venue, had scaled up the walls and soon enough, even the walls were full.

--Indo-Asian News service

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