Meet Anna, see his village: Visitors flock to Ralegan Siddhi
The storm of the Jan Lokpal movement might have settled but there seems no end to the flow of visitors to anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare’s hometown Ralegan Siddhi. The village still sees 2,500-3,000 visitors a day, seeking to meet Hazare and see for themselves the village that turned a military driver into a crusader.
Says Datta Avari, who looks after the office of the Bhrashtachar Virodhi Jan Andholan in Ralegan Siddhi, “Many anti-corruption activists who participated in the Jan Lokpal movement in Delhi or at their respective places are now visiting the village. Many of them have expressed the desire to join our movement and work for it in their respective states.”
Many who attended Hazare’s protests at Ramlila Maidan and Jantar Mantar in New Delhi but couldn’t personally meet him are visiting the village, hoping to spend time with the 74-year-old activist. Hazare, meanwhile, is resting as advised by doctors and spends most of his time at the Padmavati Temple in the village. He comes out thrice a day and addresses visitors — at 10 am, 1 pm and 4 pm.
The storm of the Jan Lokpal movement might have settled but there seems no end to the flow of visitors to anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare’s hometown Ralegan Siddhi. The village still sees 2,500-3,000 visitors a day, seeking to meet Hazare and see for themselves the village that turned a military driver into a crusader.
Says Datta Avari, who looks after the office of the Bhrashtachar Virodhi Jan Andholan in Ralegan Siddhi, “Many anti-corruption activists who participated in the Jan Lokpal movement in Delhi or at their respective places are now visiting the village. Many of them have expressed the desire to join our movement and work for it in their respective states.”
Many who attended Hazare’s protests at Ramlila Maidan and Jantar Mantar in New Delhi but couldn’t personally meet him are visiting the village, hoping to spend time with the 74-year-old activist. Hazare, meanwhile, is resting as advised by doctors and spends most of his time at the Padmavati Temple in the village. He comes out thrice a day and addresses visitors — at 10 am, 1 pm and 4 pm.