There was wide-ranging support, though low in numbers, for Anna Hazare on Tuesday, from actors like Anupam Kher, villagers from the interiors of Maharastra, a 13-year-old social worker and even a rock band from Gwalior, on the first day of his fast at the MMRDA ground in Bandra-Kurla Complex.
The crowd that had gathered at the venue in the morning was not a large one, but the mood at the ground, already upbeat, reached a crescendo when Mr Hazare reached the stage. Supporters at the venue sang patriotic songs and cheered Team Anna members as they gave inspirational speeches for the entire day. People from all ages assembled at the MMRDA ground chanting, “Bharat mata ki jai” and “Vande Mataram”.
Braving all odds, 17-year-old physically-challenged Chandrakala Chudiyal was among the crowd, brought there in her wheelchair by her friends.
It took Bandra resident Chudiyal, another physically-challenged person, half-an-hour to reach the venue. “I am disabled, and the country too has become like me. Anna needs to step in to rid our nation of corruption,” he said. 13-year-old social worker Dolphin Agarwal, a Class 8 student from Idasi, Madhya Pradesh, said she too was fasting and would carry out a rally on “karmachari ekta” from Ralegan Siddhi to Jantar Mantar after the event in Mumbai is over. Dolphin also gave a speech on stage, endorsing Mr Hazare’s jail bharo call.
“It is pitiful to see politicians backing Pawar for being slapped, but no one is backing Anna,” said 32-year-old Hemant Pagare.