Full maidan leads to villagers being kept out

Many rural folk had to be content with participating in the morcha from outside Azad Maidan despite spending as many as 18 hours in coming to the city for the purpose

While political support for the mill workers' morcha at Azad Maidan ensured that it was a resounding success in terms of the turnout, this very factor led to people coming from villages having to wait outside the large ground because it was full.

Rahul Atre (37) from Vaibhavwadi said, "Many villagers like us have come here. We were really convinced by the idea of getting mill workers a home and were looking forward to participating in the protest, but standing outside the ground is not how I thought we'd do it."

Manohar Kambli (52) a farmer from Chiplun, said, "We all left our houses at 9 am in buses made available by the MNS. But, we have not been allowed to enter the ground. They are saying the maidan is full."

Jamuna Sope (44), who had come from Sawantwadi, said, "It is really troublesome waiting in the harsh sun. We came to Mumbai at 7 am and have been waiting since.

We were told we would be allowed in when other villagers came. We had to leave last morning because of the state of the Konkan roads and spent more than 18 hours in the bus."

Getting food at the protest site also proved to be a problem for many. Neeta Purande (50) from Sawantwadi said, "We were given food by the Shiv Sena in the bus but have been asked to buy our own food here. The shops are very expensive and crowded and by the time we were let into the ground, it was already full."

Meanwhile, Deemabai Gugale (47), one of the lucky ones who got in, said, "We came here as we believed in the cause of the mill workers getting a home.

They are poor and need a means of sustenance. If we can do our bit to help them, why shouldn't we? I have come from Kolhapur and I am very proud to be part of this movement."