Volunteers behaving like quasi-police: women on site

“We don’t need you,” said a male, 20-something ‘volunteer’ wearing a tricolour badge, as he restricted a group of tribals, including women and children from West Bengal, from entering a tent at Ramlila Ground.

“We don’t need you,” said a male, 20-something ‘volunteer’ wearing a tricolour badge, as he restricted a group of tribals, including women and children from West Bengal, from entering a tent at Ramlila Ground.

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According to many accounts, especially from female supporters and journalists visiting the venue of anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare’s indefinite fast, several persons claiming to be ‘volunteers’ have started behaving like quasi-police officers exercising their writ.

“I didn’t know where the entry was, so I asked someone claiming to be a volunteer. He asked me to go with him and led me to an empty corner. It was very creepy, so I just made an excuse and got away somehow,” said Shefali (name changed), 23, a student of Mata Sundari College.

A journalist with an English daily was harassed by a group of ‘volunteers’ who refused to allow her and her female colleague safe passage.

“I had to shout at them and seek the help of a police inspector to make them understand that they were no one to keep tabs on the movement of visitors,” she said.