It’s 8 pm. A large crowd of men, women and youngsters is waiting at the Rajiv Chowk Metro Station for the next train to take them home. There are about a dozen supporters of social activist Anna Hazare in the crowd, young and middle-aged, prominent by their I-am-Anna white caps or a tricolour flung
around their necks. As the train chugs into the station and the crowd makes its way into the compartments, animated discussions begin between these supporters in different compartments on the “vices and virtues” of corruption and the significance of “Anna’s Lokpal Bill”.
This is Team Anna’s another unique approach to convince people and mobilise public opinion in their favour to push the Centre towards accepting the demand of introducing their version of Lokpal Bill in Parliament. Several groups of 10 to 12 activists have been stationed strategically at some of the busiest metro stations like Rajiv Chowk, Kashmere Gate, Karol Bagh, Central Secretariat, etc. to educate people about corruption and Jan Lokpal Bill.
As the train starts moving, the activists begin a discussion over Lokpal. The passengers listen and at times join the discussion. This is followed by slogans like Bharat Mata Ki Jai, Vande Mataram, and those in praise of the 74-year-old Gandhian activist for his resolve to eradicate corruption from the society.
However, some passengers are left fuming by the noise created in the train by the supporters.
“What are they trying to prove by shouting slogans in trains. There are better ways of educating people,” said Satish Sharma, a stocks trader.
As the train comes to halt at Central Secretariat, it is time for the activists to start their well-scripted drama all over again.