Author: Somit Sen
Publication: The Times of India
Date: August 22, 2011
It was a scene not witnessed in the city in
the last many, many years. Seas of humanity, bonded by their anger against
corruption and their support for Anna Hazare, marched in unison from Bandra
station to Juhu circle on Sunday, waving flags and shouting slogans. Towards
the end, by eyewitness accounts, nearly one lakh citizens were a part of the
rally although the organizers put the numbers at two lakh and the police at
50,000.
The morcha was the capstone to the protests
that have raged across Mumbai over the last six days. But like most crusades,
the Sunday rally had a small start. Around 3.15pm, there were 50 protesters
at Bandra station. In a little over an hour, by 4.30pm to be precise, the
numbers had swelled to 5,000.Many arrived by buses, though the majority came
by locals. Wearing Gandhi caps with I am Anna message stencilled on them,
the protesters shouted slogans and waved the tricolour. Such was the strain
on the narrow road that the protest organizers, India Against Corruption,
decided to start the morcha at 4.40pm.
Once the rally began, the numbers grew exponentially,
causing traffic snarls in some areas. I have never seen such a huge morcha,
that too without the involvement of any politicians. It is mind-boggling.
It gives us hope that a revolution by the aam aadmi can bring about some change
in the country, said Hitesh Dharawat. Employed with a financial firm, Dharawat
came with 300 friends, all waving placards and singing songs to charge up
others in the rally.