Thaindian News

New Delhi, April 9 (IANS) For police and onlookers alike, the energy and behaviour of people who turned up in thousands at Jantar Mantar to support activist Anna Hazare’s 97-hour fast-unto-death against corruption was the best in recent times.

Over the years central Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, a short distance from Parliament House, has evolved as the epicentre of all and sundry protests in the national capital giving a tough time to policemen stationed there for maintaining law and order.

The Hazare-led anti-graft campaign, however, was a different experience for many policemen as the crowd was peaceful and assembled for a cause with which many of them identified.

“The reason behind such behaviour of people was the common cause of corruption and a sudden surge in patriotism,” said a police officer requesting anonymity.

“Had I not been in police, I would also have participated as everyone in the country is affected by corruption. But I am on duty,” he added.

Vendors near the site of Anna Hazare’s protest also credited the protesters with good behaviour.

“I have my shop here for the last 25 years. But I have never seen such energetic and well behaved group of people protesting together in such a large number,” said Baba, a vendor who operates near Jantar Mantar.

Mostly, the protests organised here were political in nature. But this time, instead of political workers, schoolchildren to 90-year-old people came to protest here, he added.

“Political parties call their supporters by giving them money. But it was for the first time in my life that I saw people coming to protest at their own will,” said Sambhu Chouhan, a water trolley owner operating near Jantar Mantar for the last five years.

Talking about the behaviour of the protesters, he said: “No one misbehaved during the five-day protest.”