Outside Tihar,protest gathers steam

The open area outside the office of the Director General,Prisons located at the Tihar Jail campus became the focal point of a nation-wide agitation to release Hazare,who has been on a confrontation with the government over the Jan Lokpal Bill.

Hazare’s associate,Manish Sisodia,who was arrested along with the anti-corruption campaigner on Tuesday was released on bail late on the same night. In Hazare’s absence,Sisodia,along with theatre activist Arvind Gaur anchored the protest for most of the day outside the DG’s office.

Sisodia also announced that Kiran Bedi,along with leaders of the India Against Corruption movement,would be at the site in a while.

As the crowd of 300-odd,who observed a night-vigil for Anna Hazare,became a mass of people that occupied most of the stretch of road before the DG’s office,food was served to all. The activists explained to the public the nuances of the proposed Jan Lokpal Bill.

“Inside (Tihar) is Suresh Kalmadi. There is also A Raja,who has reportedly scammed Rs. 1.76 lakh crore. He will get only seven years inside for that,” he said over the public address system,inviting jeers from the gathering.

Medha Patkar,who arrived at 10.45 am said,“We wanted to meet Anna,and the authorities have told us that he is not in their custody. He is in a room outside the jail,and they refuse to take responsibility for him.”

Kiran Bedi,who once headed Tihar Jail,reached a little later and began by singing a bhajan. Swami Agnivesh joined the lot and he proposed a walk from Tihar to Jai Prakash Narayan Park,where the team was supposed to start its protest early on Tuesday. Even as he was addressing the public,another prominent Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan joined them.

What followed was almost four hours of confusion,during which the status of Anna within Tihar,and protest sites remained fluid. It all began over a black suitcase at 12.10 in the afternoon. The suitcase was reportedly Anna’s and contained clothes for him,but it was not permitted inside. Police officials offered it to Sisodia,who passed it on to a colleague.

At 12.20 pm,people were heard saying aloud that “Anna will be in our midst any minute.”

Kiran Bedi received a call,after which a messenger from the police department met her. Soon Agnivesh,Bhushan and Sisodia went into a huddle with her near the stage. They were joined by Medha Patkar later. At 12.55 pm,all five of them,along with a representative of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar went into Tihar.

The social activists told all to maintain silence for a while,but it was shattered by the entry of Baba Ramdev,at 1.50 pm. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,who arrived at the same time,got scant attention from the crowd and the media.

However,it was the ‘Art of Living’ guru who got to meet Anna first as he went into Tihar as soon as he arrived. Ramdev had to wait a few minutes. The crowd was charged; expecting Anna to emerge any moment.

Bhushan got his chance to go in and emerged at 2.50 pm to announce that talks had progressed to an extent that Ramlila Maidan had been offered as the site of the protest.

“The Maidan is being offered to us for our protests. However,Anna will remain in jail as he wants an unconditional release so he can carry out an indefinite fast. The police want him to restrict the period of the fast to a maximum of seven days.”

Bhushan told the crowd to join a protest march from India Gate to Parliament Street at 4pm,but,an Anna supporter Rajiv Bhasin said,“Anna has still not come out. We will not leave him alone. I will stay here till he comes out of jail.”

Prominent among those who turned up in the evening were close to 30 metro officials,in uniform who had come straight from work.

Anil Kumar,a Metro driver said,“It is important that even officials like us turn up to show support with the rest of the country. The Delhi Metro also wants a corruption free country.”