By IANS,
New Delhi : Thirtytwo-year-old labourer Janaki Devi makes decent profit by selling flags and other nick-nacks every year around India’s Independence Day Aug 15. But this time the cash flow is continuing — thanks to Anna Hazare’s agitation.
Caps, wrist and head bands, badges and flags of varied sizes, and tricolours with messages supporting Hazare are selling like hot cakes and many like Devi have decided to order more.
“Every year we are left with some stock after Aug 15 which we are not able to sell. We store these for the next year. But it’s a different story this time as we have already exhausted our stocks and would order for more soon,” Devi told IANS.
Agreed her sister-in-law Pushpa Kumari, who said all the nicknacks had a fixed price tag of Rs.10 and a bulk order could also fetch a nice discount.
“We get our stuff from Sadar Bazar (central Delhi) every year. We’ll visit it again as our stock is about to get over,” said Pushpa Kumari, who came with two bags full of the tricoloured merchandise.
Around half a dozen sellers lined near the entry gates of the Ramila ground as majority of the supporters picked these up before entering the premises.
Hazare reached the Ramlila ground around 2 p.m., after visiting Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial at Rajghat and India Gate.
Hazare had planned to begin his fast for a stronger Lokpal bill at J.P. Park in the ITO area here Tuesday.
But Delhi Police imposed certain conditions before the protest could be allowed. Hazare refused to agree, after which the police detained him and his associates Tuesday.
He was sent to Tihar Jail and was subsequently released Tuesday night but refused to leave the prison until he was allowed to carry on the fast without any preconditions.
Hazare started his fast Tuesday.