New Delhi, June 03: Massive preparations are on at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan where Baba Ramdev’s highly anticipated protest fast will begin on Saturday.
While the Anna Hazare’s protest was more spontaneous, Baba Ramdev’s fast is extremely well organized with air conditioners, coolers and even medical facilities.
Around central Delhi’s Ramlila grounds, Baba Ramdev’s posters are everywhere. And unlike Anna Hazare’s Jantar Mantar fast in April, this isn’t any ordinary protest fast.
It is intended to be massive. Arrangements are aimed at gathering of a lakh people, so the Ramlila Maidan will have 650 toilets and the same number of showers for overnight stay. With Delhi touching 40 degrees, coolers, ceiling fans are being put up. A canteen with dozens of volunteer cooks and even air conditioned medical facilities are taking shape. Hundreds of armed police and CCTVs are being installed too.
The only concern is that the fire department is yet to issue a no objection certificate. There was a request made by the organizers for additional fire tenders, but that request was turned down due to lack of resources, so in case of an emergency, only two fire stations will be on alert.
And from a distance, it appears like the stage is set for a contest between the Anna Hazare brand of spontaneity versus the Baba Ramdev style organization.
——–Agencies