Azad Maidan carries on where Ramlila left off

Youngsters across faiths flock to the grounds to express solidarity with Ramdev, vow to continue the stir until their demands are met

Azad Maidan carries on where Ramlila left off

Youngsters across faiths flock to the grounds to express solidarity with Ramdev, vow to continue the stir until their demands are met

The Centre's move to forcefully end Baba Ramdev's anti-graft crusade in Delhi's Ramlila grounds on Saturday midnight and scare away his supporters, has apparently backfired and its rippling effect could be seen in the city's Azad Maidan where a parallel protest is on since Saturday.

People participate in a protest organised at Azad Maidan since Saturday to express their solidarity with Baba Ramdev and his crusade

What started as a humble yoga-cum-sit in, largely attended by elderly people, has now turned into a full-fledged protest with more and more young people joining the yoga guru's anti-graft movement after the Centre's midnight "misadventure".

The crackdown, termed barbaric and likened with the Jalianwallah Bagh incident, actually added fuel to the fire of resentment raging within the general public, who are fed up with the season of corruption.

Rasika Karambalkar, who leads the Patanjali Trust in the state and is leading the protest here, said, "The beating of innocent people in Delhi has encouraged more people to join the protest. With the youth by our side, we are going to continue the fast till our goal is achieved."

Elderly protesters have happily given way to the young Turks. Take the case of 26-year-old Tamir Khan, who came all the way from Pune to participate in the protest.
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"The youth needs to participate in this anti-graft movement to force the government to end the season of corruption. It is necessary to make it clear that the government cannot muzzle the voice of a common man."

Echoing Khan's sentiments Taha Sitabkhan (21), a smalltime businessman who shut his shop and came to express solidarity with Ramdev and his crusade, said, "It's time for the youth to participate in such events because corruption affects everyone.
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Whatever happened in Delhi was unfortunate, a blot on our so-called vibrant democracy. The iron hand tactics of the government won't deter us; instead such incidents make us stronger."

Social activist Medha Patkar, said, "We have differences on several issues, but the government's action against peacefully protesting people is undemocratic. People in a democracy have the right to assemble and protest peacefully.
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The government should have continued a conclusive and meaningful dialogue with the protestors, instead of employing such devious ways of 'dispersing' the crowd."

Anand Patvardhan, a documentary filmmaker, agreed. "It was a very stupid act of the Congress. The true motive of Baba Ramdev was just beginning to surface.
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The camouflage of fighting black money was slowly unfolding. Baba Ramdev invited 'sadhus', the same ones who demolished the Babri Masjid, on stage to promote Hindutva. The lathicharge has proved counter productive. The incident has given the BJP an upper hand in this matter."

NM Singh, former Mumbai Police chief, said, "The lathicharge was the last resort. After continuous negotiations, it was the only way to get things in place. If Ramdev Baba had to fight for an issue affecting the common man, then he should have specifically stuck to it. But he had a long list of demands.
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It is not up to him to decide which laws should be implemented. The government's action was completely justified. Even the damage was minimum. Some 30-40 people were injured. I thought there would be serious damages."

Dr Akhtar Rizvi, founder Rizvi Education Trust, said, "Baba Ramdev is a dramatist. The government should have noticed his theatrics earlier. No minister should have gone to the airport to receive him.

His hunger strike is meant to save his own black money. Moreover, he sure has political ambitions and all this protest drama is a publicity stunt.

When the police tried to arrest him, he took refuge in a crowd of women supporters. In an attempt to arrest him, some people got hurt."