New Delhi:
Anna Hazare's movement might have been branded as that of corruption versus the common man, but even his protest site has not been free from the VIP culture.
The Ramlila Maidan was a picture of chaos, with crowds swelling over the past few days, and even more people turning up to join the protest on Sunday. However, for VIPs, as everywhere, there is not much to bother.
The huge ground has a separate entry and exit gate exclusively for VIPs, and the common people are not allowed to use it, even when the other gates stand blocked with the bulging crowd.
As the mass swelled by around 1 pm, people found it increasingly hard to make an entry or worse an exit. In fact, five children went missing in the melee.
"I tried to make entry through the gate near the mosque but I was told it was for VIPs. I could not make my way in through the other gates as the crowd would not allow," a woman protester said.
It was the hardest for women to negotiate their way around the ground.
By afternoon, thousands of people had gathered at the grounds, but not many women were to be seen.
"Today was a holiday, so I came with my husband. I have not seen many girls around and the crowd is not very good," said a woman.
While Mr Hazare was seated at a podium raised 20-feet-high, the seating space for people was around 60 feet away from the dais. In between was a fenced area reserved for VIPs, followed by a media enclosure.
As crowds swelled, five children went missing and parents and relatives were finding it hard to get an announcement made from the podium.
The volunteers, who were distributing water among the crowd, too took special care of the VIP enclosure, cleaning the area from time to time.
Among the VIPs who made their way through the special gate were Justice Santosh Hegde and MCD mayor Rajni Abbi among others.