This time, protest draws a different crowd

When Balakrishna spoke during the joint agitation by Ramdev and team Anna, he almost spelt out the mood of the gathering. “When all the government’s forces and several notices couldn’t stop Ramdev in past one year, it is clear nobody can stop him now,” Balkrishna, Ramdev’s close aide, said.

When Balakrishna spoke during the joint agitation by Ramdev and team Anna, he almost spelt out the mood of the gathering. “When all the government’s forces and several notices couldn’t stop Ramdev in past one year, it is clear nobody can stop him now,” Balkrishna, Ramdev’s close aide, said.

Anna supporters missing
The mood was upbeat throughout and there were large number of Haryanavi supporters. Conspicuous by their absence were supporters of team Anna. Students, despite being a holiday season, working class urbane people and retired officials were replaced by white kurta-pyajama clad rustic men and colourfully dressed women with bright vermilion on foreheads.

Rajbala remembered
Coming after a year of the mid-night police crackdown on his supporters, Ramdev’ team did not forget to put up a photo of ‘Shahid Behen Rajbala’ along with posters of Ramdev and Anna Hazare on the sides of the stage. Rajbala had succumbed to injuries she had received during the police crackdown at Ramlila maidan during Ramdev’s indefinite fast last year.

HT Image

Less characters
Unlike team Anna’s agitation venues, there were lesser off-beat characters. But one stole the show. A supporter had turned up donning the mask of a 10-headed Ravana. He had photos of corrupt politicians pasted on each of the face.