Ground Zero: Notes and conversations from India Gate

Time: 6:00 AM- Shameless lathicharge by Delhi Police at India Gate, Vijay Chowk, and Rajpath. All places are evacuated.

Time 7:00 AM- On my way to India Gate, seems like fog and sudden fall in temperature is going to test spirit along with government and police.

Time 8:00 AM- On my way to India Gate using Delhi metro got to know that all nearby stations are closed, reached Rajiv Chowk. Most of the autowalas were reluctant to go to India Gate in the beginning (though heard that they were very supportive later in the day).

Conversation with Kamal (Autowala)
   Kamal: Sir aap bhi India Gate ja rahe hai kya protest karne
   Me: Haan, us liye hi jar aha hoon
   Kamal: Saalo ko India Gate par hi latka dena chaiye, lekin Government aisa karegi nahi
   Me: Kyu? Tumhe kyu lagta hai ki Government aisa nahi karegi?
   Kamal: (laughing) Agar Faasi wala kanoon ban jata hai to aadhi sansad khaali ho jayegi, ab koi apni maut ka bill thode hi na pass karega.
   Me: Baat to sahi hai, vaise bhi jo aisa crime karta hai uske paas kisi na kisi ka support jaroor hota hai.
   Kamal: Baat to sahi bole aap, hum jaise log to apni zindagi main hi kaafi busy rahte hai. Din bhar mahnat karte hai ki apne bacaho ko do time ka khana acche se de paye.
   Me: Sahi bolte ho tum, ek aam aadmi in chakkar se dur hi rahta hai…
   Kamal: Vaise ek baat bolu, bura mat maan-na, is sab andolan protest se kuch nahi hone wala… roz hote rahte hai aise protest Dilli main
   Me: Vo to main nahi bol sakta, lekin agar kuch thoda bhi fark padta hai to mere liye kaafi hai. Ye log kuch acche kaaran ke kaaran yahan par hai… mujhe laga ki inke saath khade rahna chaiye to main aa gaya
(by the time we reached India Gate)
   Kamal: (Originally agreed with Rs. 60): Aap pachas (Rs. 50) hi de do, aap se jyada nahi le sakta…

Time 8:15 AM: Police barred me from entering India Gate, saw a group of journalists and camera crew of TV18, and joined them. A cameraman noticed me and understood my intentions, he nodded me to join them.

Time 8:25 AM: In front of India Gate, heavy fog and 50 people and equally number police in the area. Things were very calm. A group of bicyclists is there who were planning bicycle rally to support the cause and also environment. Media is interviewing almost everyone as there are very few people around.

Time 9:00 AM: Heavy police with some high ranking officials closing in, people are coming in from all directions in small groups.

Time 9:05 AM: A group of bikers came in (no clue how they entered), all attention went there in heavy silencer sounds. Bikes includes Herley Devison, Ninja, Hayabusa, Hysung, Royal Enfield and many more known high end bikes. They were there for about half n’ hour with posters, slogans etc. and then left for next destination.



Time 9:30 AM: A mixed group of elderly and young ones took a pledge to respect and stop such crimes.



Time 9:40 AM: Crowd is about 200-300, police started to use light force to send us out. People have started formal protest. Seems like few street dogs have also joined us, and one of them knows handshake as well :)



Time 10:00 AM: Things are heating up now and police is using ‘more’ force. Just heard police head directing policemen to control and get everyone inside bus to escort them out.

Time 10:05 AM: Met a Japanese tourist (aged guy, don’t know his name), he asked me when are the band playing (Republic Day rehearsals), I said that it won’t be today and probably next few days as well, as protest is going on. He asked me what is this protest all about? When I started explaining about it, surprisingly he knew about the whole case. He said, “what young people doing here is incredible and totally right. People should do it, I am happy to see so many people coming for support.” (I saw him hanging around for next hour or so and talking to many people).

Time 10:30 AM: Police started using force, few guys are forced inside bus. Glasses of bus are now broken and people are on roof.  Girls are sleeping in front and under the bus to block it. Lady police is called and some of girls are escorted out of India Gate premises in police van.



Time 11:00 AM: Heated discussion between our group and police. Some people are going ballistic, few anti social elements also entered to destroy whole dynamics. Got my first police ka danda (though a very slow one, but hurts in winter)

Time 11:30 AM: People who came for peaceful protest started to move out to go to Jantar Mantar and others are protesting. Police caught few vocal ones and forcing them out.



Time 12:00 noon: More people are in, including some more anti socials (seems like they are directed by someone(?) to join the protestors ). I decided to move out, and join people at Jantar Mantar/ Ramlila Maidan.

Conversation with Ka****hji (senior constable, Delhi Police ), I am not disclosing his name here:
                On my way out, I saw a nod from a decent looking elderly policeman. I approached him to get directions towards Jantar Mantar and thus an interesting conversation started (some parts are reproduced).
                Ka****h: Hum bhi ye sab nahi karna chahte, par kya kare duty hai.
                Me: Main samajhta hoon, aap apna kaam kar rahe hai aur hum humara.
                Ka****h: Main bhi chahta hoon ki un sab ki yahan par hi latka diya jaye. Lekin vo itna jaldi nahi ho sakta. Hamare yahan itna sakth kanoon nahi hai. Aur jo hai vo lagu nahi hota.
                Me: Aap log bhi to kuch to kar sakte hai, apna kaam agar har koi imandaari se kare to koi problem hi na ho.
                Ka****h: Sab tarah ke log hote hai, kya kar sakte hai. Aap kahan se aaye hai?
                Me: Noida se…
                Ka****h: Chalo jo bhi ho raha hai uako dekh kar agar kuch accha ho to badiya hoga, un logon ko aisi saja deni chaiye ki aage se koi himmat nahi kare.
                Me: Saja dene se sab khatm nahi hoga, logon ko bhi samajhna hoga… karne wale bhi hum main se hi to the na… dara kar kuch nahi hone wala, (laughing) aap bhi do dino se hum logon ko dara rahe hai, kuch hua kya??
                Ka****h: (laughing) sahi bolte to, do din se main bhi yahi duty kar raha hoon. Sach main accha nahi lagta ye sab karna
                (We shaked hand and he walked with me to safely drop me out, I really felt bad about him and his situation)

Time 12:30 AM: Out of India Gate, took an auto to Jantar Mantar but Autowala told me its 144 there as well, so dropped my plan and went back to Rajiv Chowk and back to Noida.