They are in Delhi since August 15 without proper shelter and food. But that has not deterred their spirit and resolve to back Hazare in his crusade against corruption.
Jaisingh Mapari had braced himself for a long drawn battle just as Anna Hazare had told him.
He is among the 70 villagers from Ralegan Siddhi who have camped themselves in Delhi to be at the side of their “messiah” Anna Hazare.
They are in Delhi since August 15 without proper shelter and food. But that has not deterred their spirit and resolve to back Hazare in his crusade against corruption.
“We have to eat from the roadside food vendors. But we do not mind. Our Anna is on a mission. And we have to support him come what may,” Mapari told DNA over the phone from Delhi.
After they reached Delhi, the villagers met Anna, who told them brace themselves for a long fight.
They were detained by the Delhi police on August 16 after Hazare’s arrest. “After the police took Anna to Tihar jail, all of us were taken to Chhatrasal stadium,” Mapari said. “We could not get any food or water inside the stadium due to strong police bandobast. Later, Arvind Kejriwal and his team brought food and water for us.”
“Then, we did not have any facility to bathe or wash ourselves. In our times of trial, we remembered the words of Anna, asking us to be prepared for a long and tough fight,” he said.
The villagers stayed at the stadium till Thursday.
On Friday, they trooped into Ramlila ground.
“The arrangement is good at Ramlila ground,” Mapari added.
When asked whether the villagers were worried about their families back home, Mapari said: “We have not spoken with our families since our arrest as the only thing on our minds was Anna’s safety. It was his charisma which had brought us to Delhi and we are witnessing the spiralling support from millions of other Indians,” he said.
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