Johnny Johnny Yes Papa. Eating Money? No Papa!

It's 3.30 on a crisp Wednesday afternoon and either footpath in front of the Banshankari BDA Complex is crowded dramatically in a minute. At first it looked chaotic and left onlookers clueless, but then a pattern was forming. Towards the T-junction; on the left were 300 girls and on the right were 300 boys - holding placards and shouting slogans with much patriotic gusto in their eyes.

I was on the way back home when I spotted this sudden activity. I was so excited; all I could think of was CAN I JOIN CAN I JOIN CAN I JOIN!! I took a minute to comprehend the scenario and was more than convinced by what I learnt.

Among the placards they held and slogans they chanted at the top of their spirits were ones protesting against corruption, corruption, and corruption. Anna Hazare Supporters’ Karnataka division lead this protest and were spotted around in aprons carrying Anna logos. They lead the scene, providing students slogans, flags and encouragement.

I asked one of the volunteers if I could join too, and he readily agreed. It’s only after the 3^rd time I repeated after the slogans that my journalist self kicked in! I almost ran back t to the IndiaCan institute and brought back the camera. I covered the event and felt tides of satisfaction wash over the journalist me. 

I intended to pull out only one of the boys to enquire deeper than what met the eye about the event, but ten were tagging behind me to explain! I had to excuse myself for distracting the human chain, and finally ask my questions to Pranav, a final year student at BNM. He told me everything including how they were all from BNM College (across a couple of lanes from BDA), the supporters came in to their campus at around 2.30pm, their speech, the protest, the awaken patriotism and his name.

I continued to click few more shots while I spoke to more girls on the opposite side; Monica, Padmasree, Kavya, Panchami, Ann and others whose names I dont recall. All the efforts of the rude, scorching sun to discourage me from graphing the event on my camera were in vain. By now, cameramen from TV channels had found their way here and had begun to acknowledge this effort.

I stayed for 20 minutes more, as a participant. And in that time, as I shouted slogans out with all my zest, I was also imagining myself participating in the main protest at Freedom Park this Saturday.

When I finally returned the camera, copied the photos into my PD and was on the way back home, I felt a silent rush of content. 

 

Bharat Mata ki Jai.