Who moved my protest?

Sena-BJP alliance ask Ramdev's fasting protestors to move their pandal to the fringes of Azad Maidan, so that they could construct their own for their rally today

Who moved my protest?

Sena-BJP alliance ask Ramdev's fasting protestors to move their pandal to the fringes of Azad Maidan, so that they could construct their own for their rally today

It is the season of protests, and it appears that the city is running out of space to accommodate the slew of parties and factions that are all too ready to jump onto the demonstration bandwagon.
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This was made clear by the recent goings on at Mumbai's very own Hyde Park, the Azad Maidan grounds, where different protesting groups have been jostling each other for space.

Shiv Sena leader Subhash Desai looks on at the site of the pandal which is being prepared for today's rally at Azad Maidan. Baba Ramdev's pandal, which has been shifted

In Delhi, the BJP had come forward with conspicuous fervour to support Baba Ramdev's cause, its members going out of their way to stage protests in his support.

At Mumbai, however, the picture was quite the obverse, with BJP leaders asking Ramdev followers to go out of their way, so they could stage their own protests.

Supporters of the recently formed Shiv Sena-BJP-RPI alliance are all set to launch their rally today, to protest rampant corruption and inflation in the country, as well as atrocities on dalits.
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In the run-up to the morcha, a huge stage is in the process of being constructed, large enough to accommodate as many as 100 leaders affiliated to the combined forces of alliance.

This under-construction pandal, however, has supplanted the one that had been constructed by fasting Ramdev supporters, who were asked to take their protests to the sidelines yesterday morning, so that the BJP protest could hold centre stage.

The shunted protestors however, were careful not to reveal any signs of disgruntlement.

"Our pandal had been built at the centre of the stage, but members of the Sena-BJP-RPI alliance have planned their own rally from today. Our pandal was bang in the middle of the grounds, but the leaders wanted to construct a spacious shamiana that could accommodate their 150 leaders. Our pandal was coming in the way.

To accommodate their needs, we chose to move to one side of the ground," said Rasika Karmabalkar, coordinator of the Maharashtra division of the Patanajali trust, founded by Baba Ramdev and run by him from the Haridwar headquarters.

The protesting group also obliged by putting up a sign at the site, which read, anshan zari hai, tambu shift ho raha hai, ('The protest is still on, the pandal has been shifted'.)

United we stand?
Anil Desai, secretary of the Shiv Sena said, "The protestors from the Patanjali trust were more than willing to vacate their original premises and shift to a new site. We may be under different banners, but we are united by our cause.

They were aware that we would be launching our own morcha, and did not refuse our request."
The alliance is expecting a congregation of nearly 4 to 5 lakhs protesters at the ground to add strength to their rally, which begins today afternoon.u00a0