New Delhi: For police and onlookers alike, the energy and behaviour of the thousands of people who turned up 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 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.
Surge of patriotism
"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 an 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.
Own will
But this time, instead of political workers, people of all ages from schoolchildren to 90-year-olds, and all walks of life 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.
Commenting on the behaviour of the protesters, he added: "No one misbehaved during the five-day protest."
Over the years central Delhi's Jantar Mantar, a short distance from Parliament House, has evolved as the epicentre of 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.
Surge of patriotism
"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 an 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.
Own will
But this time, instead of political workers, people of all ages from schoolchildren to 90-year-olds, and all walks of life 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.
Commenting on the behaviour of the protesters, he added: "No one misbehaved during the five-day protest."
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