Anti-graft crusader's lookalike and namesake Anna Pawar says he's just an ordinary man hoping to get Jan Lokpal Bill approved
Anti-graft crusader's lookalike and namesake Anna Pawar says he's just an ordinary man hoping to get Jan Lokpal Bill approved
Dressed in a crisp white kurta and dhoti and sporting the trademark Gandhi cap and glasses, Anna managed to grab many eyeballs when he stood in protest outside MP Suresh Kalmadi's house yesterday. But that did not perturb Anna. He was quite used to the undue attention he commanded wherever he went. 
Double power: Anna Pawar with workers' leader Nana Kshirsagar and
other agitators outside city MP Suresh Kalmadi's house off Karve Road
yesterday. Pic/Vivek Sabnis
At 64, Anna Pawar is 10 years younger to Anna Hazare. But the features on his countenance no doubt have deceived many, only if for a fleeting moment. Police Constable Dilip Kate who was posted outside Kalmadi's residence on bandobast duty even approached Anna to persuade him to disperse the crowds. That's when he realised Pawar was just a lookalike.
Pawar, who bears stark resemblance to the 74-year-old anti-corruption crusader, has been approached by people mistaking him for Hazare. "I could not believe my eyes as Pawar has the same facial features as Hazare," said Kate.u00a0 "In his white kurta and dhoti and the Gandhi topi and glasses, he looks exactly like Hazare from certain angles. Even his voice is somewhat similar to Hazare, but physically he is a bit heavier. He is Hazare's duplicate."
Kate's seniors PSI D M Bhawale from the Deccan Gymkhana police station also mistook Pawar for Hazare. Many present in the crowd walked up to Pawar for a second look and admitted he did bear a striking resemblance to Hazare. Hailing from Bibwewadi, where he runs a printing press, Pawar modestly ruled out any comparison to Hazare.u00a0
"Nobody can become Hazare just because of certain similarities in features. My village Sankapur is close to Hazare's Ralegansiddhi in Ahmadnagar district. I am 10 years younger to Hazare. He has already become a legend and is a well-known social crusader. Don't forget, I am a small and ordinary person. But I am Anna," he said humbly.
With Nana Kshirsagar's, leader of Rickshaw Sena and Beggar Help Line, Pawar will go to Delhi to meet Hazare at the Ramleela Ground on August 25. "It's my dream to see my idol. If the Jan Lokpal Bill is approved, then we can celebrate the victory in Delhi with Hazare," he said.
The police asked the crowd outside Kalmadi's residence to disperse, as the area was getting congested and the traffic was coming to a standstill. "We know Kalmadi is not at home, but we can't go to Tihar Jail at this moment. This is our way of protesting against corrupt politicians," said Pawar. Kshirsagar and 30 men and women, were singing bhajans outside Kalmadi's house for 20 minutes.
'Will visit every MP'
"We will visit every MP in the district and agitate outside their homes to get the Jan Lokpal Bill passed," said Kshirsagar. He said they would visit BJP MP Prakash Javadekar and Shiv Sena'su00a0 MPs Gajanan Babar and Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil. Eknath Pawar, Shivaji Kachi, Walmiki Bhosale. Pandurang Shivde were with Pawar in the agitation.
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