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| Candle light victory rally at India Gate (Photo: Thomas D'Silva) |
As an intern at the Hindustan Times (HT)- multimedia department, I was deputed to go India Gate to cover the candle light victory march, called by Anna Hazare at 6.00 PM on Saturday, the 9th April. The HT media cab took me and the police readily opened the parking gate for the 'media' personnel!
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| Photo by Thomas D'Silva |
The vehicles mounted with Satellite dishes of various channels were lined up and there was a buzz of activities going on: People in small groups with candle lights sloganeering- 'Anna Hazare zindabad' 'hum tumhare saath hain', 'vande marataram', 'ek, do, tin, chaar...khatm karo bhrastachar'...; the veteran journalists showing off their virtuousity at 'live coverage'; the amateur ones trying to impress their bosses of their reporting skills; etc.
But what I found the most amusing was- parents bringing their children clad in patriotic costumes and presenting them to the camera for a 'live' coverage; everyone is looking for one reporter or other to present the well-rehearsed sound-bite; ... Oh, I can go on narrating the drama unfolding at the India Gate... talk and talk, slogans- one wittier than the other, placards a galore in colourful shapes and sizes, and the media trying to make the most of it!
Do you call them- Anna Hazare's Crusaders? Or is it the publicity stunt of some media savy citizens? Or is it the TRP clamour by the media magnates? I was confused- absolutely! Being a novice in the art of 'live' coverage and 'point and shoot' technique, I tried to imitate some of the professionals. But there were too many wanted to speak... and too much of talk.... whom will you listen anyway! I thought there is already 'corruption' happening in the very act of crusade against it!
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| Photo: Thomas D'Silva |
I thought to myself- will Anna Hazare invite people to 'maun vrat' (silent satyagraha) so that the Rest of India gets on to serious business of Drafting the Jan Lokpal Bill and roots out corruption from the country.
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