“He is Gandhiji's brother.” “No, he is Gandhiji's father. He is fasting to put an end to corruption.” “He is not Gandhiji's relative. He's a Gandhian.” This is what I heard from the cacophony of voices of a boisterous gang of boys when I asked, “Who is Anna Hazare?” The fourteen-year-olds from Thavathiru Santhalinga Adigalar Higher Secondary School were participating in a multi-faith prayer meeting organised by the Gandhian Organisations of Coimbatore.
Dr Kezevino Aram of Shanti Ashram and the Young Indians led the meeting in support of Anna Hazare's crusade against corruption.
The kids did not know who Anna Hazare was. Nor did they know what the Lokpal Bill meant. But they were sure of one thing: there was a battle on against corruption and they were taking part. Representatives of Shanti Ashram, Young Indians, Assisi Snehalaya, CADD Academy, COR Academy, G-18 Charitable Trust, Perur Atheenam, Gandhi Illam, North Sarvodaya Sangh, Gandhipuram Sarvodaya Sangh, Gandhi Study Centre, AIMMS Institute, United Jamath and Gandhi Museum gathered at Perur Padithurai, where the ashes of Gandhiji are preserved.
Not a soul stirred during the meeting – the gathering sat solemnly as though they were in the presence of Gandhiji himself. For many, the man with the white Gandhian cap in Delhi was Gandhiji's renascence.
N. Ranganathan of Shanti Ashram said, “He (Anna) looks like an elderly version of Gandhi.”
For the 75 year old, Anna's actions brought back memories of his younger days when he participated in the peace movement. “I accompanied Dr. Aram during the Delhi-Peking Peace march in 1963,” he recalled.
N. Markandan, coordinator of Mahatma Gandhi Study Centre, Kumaraguru College of Technology and former vice-chancellor of Gandhigram Rural University, spoke of his meeting with Anna Hazare in Bangalore in 1999. “I met him during the inauguration of Sarvodaya Maha Sangha. He spoke in Hindi and a friend of mine acted as our interpreter. I felt as though I was talking to Gandhiji.”
Gandhiji's favourite bhajans filled the air and participants took an oath not to take or give bribes at any cost. G.Vijayaragavan, assistant coordinator, Shanti Ashram, said that as a kid, he was so impressed with the thathuva padalgal of MGR and Rajinikanth that he wanted to do something for society when he grew up. “Which is why I joined Shanti Ashram,” he said. “Children tend to live by what they are taught at a very young age. They are our target. Now that they've taken an oath against bribery, I'm sure they'll think twice before bribing once they grow up.”
Back at VOC Park Grounds, Coimbatoreans arrived in droves to express their solidarity for Anna Hazare's movement. Voluntary organisations and trade and industrial bodies of the city had organised the meet. There was barely enough space to stretch one's arms.
Only a few days ago there was a packed political meeting here, but today's atmosphere, one participant felt, was something else.
Little Amoga, her grandmother Loganayaki and aunt Rajeswari had come all the way from Pollachi to take part.
Everybody, right from 72 year old Ganapathyappan to ten year old Shivani said that they wanted “to do something” against corruption.
Lakshmi, a mangoes and peanuts seller, was watching the proceedings from a distance. “I haven't sold anything today,” she lamented. “Everybody says they won't eat till the meeting is over.”
