Little acts make a big difference at protest site

Small, a well-meaning initiatives like supporting Anna Hazare's fight for a strong Jan Lokpal have turned it into a national movement.

Software engineer Kshama Jain has been with the agitation at Balgandharva Chowk since it began. She reaches the spot at 7.45 am every day with milk for people to break their relay fast. "Demonstrators are observing fasts for 12 hours from 8 am to 8 pm or 8 pm to 8 am. I help them break their fast with milk. I have been following the Jan Lokpal issue since the beginning and want the bill to become an act. I am a victim of corruption myself," said Jain. She also paints images of the tricolour on the demonstrators' t-shirts, face and caps. "I also explain the actual difference between the Jan Lokpal Bill and that which the Centre is endeavouring to table."

Shekhar Mundada, Art of Living member, brings over 400 bottles of mineral water for the protesters at Balgandharva Chowk every day. As managing director of a company supplying packaged water he feels it is the least he can do. "Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, has been diligently supporting the anti-corruption cause since its inception. Pune has about one lakh followers and it is my duty to take this cause forward with whatever I can offer," said Mundada. Read more