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Journalism of Courage
Saturday, April 3, 1999. More than 1,000 people, all holding candles, are out on M.G. Road, some shouting slogans, some not. Coming from different economic groups and different political, organisational and religious affiliations but united in spirit 8211; they want the recently-transferred municipal commissioner, Arun Bhatia, back.
They also demonstrated that a good idea, detailed organisation and a dedicated team can actually work. The team 8211; Jyotsana Shahane, Jyoti Palekar, Dipika Bansal, Angeli Lobo and all the others.
An operation on that scale would need indepth planning. But, says the team, they worked out the modalities in a week. Says Shahane, 8220;We did a breakdown of work that had to be done. We had to think of what was required.8221; The listing was detailed 8211; getting police permission, having the banners painted, getting the torches, identifying potential sources of candles and then testing these, sticking up handbills, enlisting volunteers to hand out the candles and then, of course, actually planning how the march would proceed. 8220;It was,8221; says Shahane 8220;carried out like a military operation. It was the result of a joint effort. We all did what we could.8221;
Like Dipika Bansal, who spent time speaking to the traders along M.G. Road asking for a commitment and plastering handbills along this road and Boat Club Road or Jyoti Palekar, who was on the phone with wholesalers for candles, looking for the best deal. She finally identified one Subhash in Raviwar Peth who felt for the cause and gave her the candles at cost price. Says Bansal, 8220;We did what was needed to be done. For those eight days, our family lives were on hold.8221;
8220;We were a good group,8221; says Shahane. So good, in fact, that, says Bansal, 8220;We8217;ve decided to meet often and discuss issues that are of concern to us.8221; Widely varying interests haven8217;t stood in the way at all. Shahane calls herself a Renaissance woman8217; 8211; she writes scripts, spends time with her craft work and is a housewife. Bansal conducts workshops but is otherwise at home and Palekar helps manage the family packaging business. The others would have similar tales to tell.
Most joined the movement on March 6, when Bhatia was removed from the post of divisional commissioner. Shahane explains, 8220;I met these women at other protest gatherings. These were proactive women, full of life and they seemed to be ready to act and work rather than talk. So I gave them a call.8221; Says Palekar, 8220;I never thought a person like me would ever protest. It is the first time I have done anything like it.8221; Bansal would agree, although she, as a member of a residents8217; forum, has had some experience in activism.
But there were others who also helped to make it a success 8211; the women who painted badges for the volunteers to wear, the printer who printed the handbills for free, Roshan Irani, who donated the paper, Anand Kochhar, who, as head of the Pune Camp Merchants8217; Association, pledged their support. 8220;There is a general feeling that we support Bhatia for doing his job. And the march was an expression of our frustration on many levels of governance,8221; says Shahane. 8220;You see, we felt that interest was declining. And although 98 per cent of Puneites want Bhatia back, they aren8217;t all activists. This was apolitical and so the average person would not hesitate to come out,8221; explains Bansal.
The greatest satisfaction for the protesters? 8220;We8217;ve told the government that we8217;re not going to take things lying down anymore!8221; asserts Bansal.
