Thaindian News

New Delhi, Aug 25 (IANS) Social activist Anna Hazare’s anti-graft fast over the past 10 days has seen media persons crowding at two spots in the city - the Ramlila Maidan and the prime minister’s official residence.

The Ramlila Maidan is ground zero of Hazare’s fast, while 7, Race Course Road is where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh resides.

Besides the thousands of Hazare supporters at Ramlila Maidan, hundreds of journalists from newspapers, television channels and news agencies have been camping there over the past week to bring information 24X7 from the protest venue.

Television channels have parked their outdoor broadcasting vans all around Ramlila Maidan and, in some cases, have set up temporary studios too.

At the prime minister’s residence, though, the scene is different. Only a serious political meeting at this high-security venue attracts hundreds of mediapersons.

Though the prime minister’s residence is closed for mediapersons, they usually gather at a spot across the Kamal Ataturk Marg outside Race Course.

Since the area is small and is not enough to hold the large number of mediapersons, the police usually have a difficult time restraining the journalists from crossing the road and gathering in front of the prime minister’s residence.

Hazare’s recent call to his supporters to hold demonstrations in front of the prime minister’s residence has added to the crowds there.

As a policeman outside the prime minister’s residence said: “More than the handful of Anna’s supporters who come here to demonstrate, it is the hundreds of mediapersons covering these protests who are difficult to manage.”