Jubilations at Azad Maidan but doubts linger

“The main hurdle is over. I am feeling fine and very happy on hearing the news,” said Dr Ratna Magotia,one of them. “I want to see Anna breaking his fast; then I will break my fast,” she added,before taking a call from a friend congratulating her.

All of them called friends and relatives immediately to convey the news and to check if it was indeed true. Some started making plans of what they would do once Anna,and subsequently they,break their fast. “I will take the next train and rush home as my mother is sick; she is having a knee pain” said Usha Shah who had come from Indore. She spent these 12 days drawing sketches and writing poems,thereby keeping herself engaged.

Ramesh Wankhede,a truck driver from Dahisar,said he would take out a victory rally in his area. But then,he was not fully convinced about the development. “I have my doubts about whether the government will actually accept Anna’s demands,but if Anna believes in the assurance,we too will.”

Wankhede was not the only one to take the news with a pinch of salt. “There are many slips between the cup and the lip,so we are not getting excited,” said Sudhir Shah,a right to information activist from Prabhadevi. “The voice vote is still not done. I don’t want to get my hopes up and later be demoralised.”

They are expected to break the fast at 10 am on Sunday. They would be fed light food and mostly liquids such as moong water,gum water and lemon water with sugar. “It is easily digestible and will give them maximum energy,” said Dhiraj Rambhia,one of the main organisers.

Around 600 persons,including members of the Indian Deaf Society,had gathered at Azad Maidan on Saturday.

Anil Dixit,an engineer,who had come to Azad Maidan for the second time in the past 12 days,said he was there because he had to face corruption in his life. He had to pay a donation to secure admission to a diploma course at a private institute. “I am very happy today. Hopefully,I won’t have to pay donation for my children’s higher education once the Lokpal comes into effect,” said Dixit,who has two sons in school.