Mum turns battleground: Dabbawalas carry Anna's fast protest

Mumbai, Aug 19: India once again has received the taste of freedom struggle and this time it's not from British-Raj, but from Corruption-Raj. Anna Hazare has shown a ray of hope and the Indians seem to have responded with a great vigil. Mumbai is not an exception and the famous dabbawalas, staging fast for Anna and his Jan Lokpal, held a protest march in the city on Friday, Aug 19.

Covering Churchgate to Azad Maidan, more than 5,000 dabbawalas (tiffin carriers) joined the protest march. The famous dabbawalas also created history by breaking their 120-year-old tradition when they observed a bandh (strike).

The dabbawalas had decided to go on a fast last week after Anna pledged to start his fast on Aug 16. But a day before the scheduled fast was to begin, they retracted from their statement and said that going on a fast would only impact their business heavily.

"We support Anna Hazare and his cause, but after three days of holiday it is a little tough for us to join him," Raghunath Medge, president, Mumbai Jeevan Dabbawala Association had said.

"It will affect our business greatly. We are poor people and already the long holiday has caused us some financial losses. Another day owing to Hazare's fast will cause more damage to us.

"It is a good cause, but we can't join because of practical reasons," he had said.

OneIndia News