Is this a Mass Movement? Look at the Evidence, and Decide!

Written by Dr. Seshadri Kumar, August 23, 2011


Some people and some media personalities, such as Karan Thapar of CNN-IBN's Devil's Advocate, claim that Anna Hazare's movement is not a mass movement, that it doesn't really represent all Indians.  Some have even said that it is only people from Mumbai and Delhi who are protesting, and that we think it is a national movement only because the national media has blown it up.

Is this true?

Take a look at the events in India on 21st August 2011 in support of Anna.  Some of the huge (1 lakh+) rallies are at Juhu Beach, Mumbai - from Bandra to Juhu; at Freedom Park, Bangalore; at Marina Beach, Chennai and, of course, at Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi.  But there are rallies all over the country (even, see in list below, a 1 lakh+ rally in, of all places, Indore!!!).  This is just a list I have taken from twitter (and these are just 21st August's events).  Mumbai alone had more than a lakh of people who walked in the rain.  If all this doesn't show that all of India is rising in support of Anna, then what does???  When will the govt wake up?

The list below is in no particular order, but I have tried hard to avoid duplication.  Some of the events are multiple events in one city.  For example, Pune has at least 4 rallies in the evening, including one biker rally in the afternoon.

Jai Hind!

Seshadri Kumar

List of Events of 21 August 2011

1. About 10000 people to take rally from KD Singh stadium to local MP, Lalji tandon's residence at 7PM TODAY (lucknow)
2. around 15000 gathered at Amar Jawan Jyoti, JAIPUR to support anna and janlokpal pls rt. Candle march will be held at 9pm at sahid smark
3. Bhiwani, Haryana: #Janlokpalsupporters to gherao MPs residence today at 7 pm
4. Candle light march in Vasundhara enclave DDA market today 21 aug in delhi to support Anna hazare ji join us guys jai india
5. candle march in Bikaner,Rajasthan from ambedkar circle to the collectrate. at 6:30pm today!
6. 4 Candle Light Marches 2day in Pune Rally3 (Sutarwadi), Starting point Sutarwadi Link Rd, Near Sagar Restaurant 7:00pm
7. http://t.co/uxzYUNJ "A picture of the 1 lakh from Bandra to Juhu circle rally …Bande Maataram !!!
8. 4 Candle Light Marches 2day in Pune Rally1 (Baner/Aundh), Starting point Symantec Junction, Opp Mahabaleshwar Hotel, 6:45pm
9. 4 Candle Light Marches 2day in Pune Rally2 (NCL/Bavdhan), Starting point Pashan Circle, Cosmos Bank Compound, 7:00pm, Cntd
10. Delhi: Candle march in Munirka DDA Cental Park at 7pm
11. National FLAG n CANDLE MARCH Bhopal(M .P ) New Market Today 08-00 P M
12. Candle March has been started from #Allahabad University by 5000+ supportes. Jai Hind Jai Anna
13. Live from Marina Beach l Huge Crowd.. I am proud to be here with my family.http://t.co/GuCecD8
14. AJMER: Meeting at VIJAY SMARAK at BAJRANGARH For SILENT CANDLE MARCH at 7.30 PM
15. Candle light march at Samachar Apartment, Mayur Vihar, New Delhi. 6:30 PM 
16. Huge rally @ Kalyan... Whoever in Kalyan pls participate..now @ Ramdev hotel .
17. Vizag rally  http://t.co/sDMPkuX
18. another trip 2 freedom prk - sun afternoon, massive crowds. impressive org by IAC volunteers. hats off to all of them
19. Massiv rally Indore on MG road around 1 lac gathering amassing spirit. India against Corruption
20. Raebareli (Sonia Gandhi's constituency): Candle March Today at 7 pm from Railway Station to Degree College Chauraha 
21. Delhi: Candle-light march at 8 pm in Vasant Kunj today
22. Candle Light march @ BADDI, Himachal Pradesh today 7 pm, AMRAVATI MANDIR, PHASE 3, COME & JOIN
23. Delhi: Around 2 lakh citizens now marching from India Gate to Ramlila Maidan
24. From 7:00 Pm today,the whole meerut is going to do MARCH with making sound of Plate and spoon from Regal square.ANNA
25. Two Wheeler Rally In Bathinda, Punjab Today 6:15 PM. Starts From Rose Garden
26. We did a march today, supporting the bill and IAC + ANNA HAZARE. Around 2000 people marched from ahinsa chowk,KATNI,M.P
27. Hisar, Haryana - Join candle light protest to support Janlokpal, Sunday 21 Aug at Old Govt. College Ground at 7 PM (Daily)
28. Delhi: Candle march in Munirka DDA Cental Park at 7pm 
29. A bike rally happening in #Punetoday at 4.30-7.30pm in support of Anna Hazare & @janlokpal bill.It will start from Balgandharv.
30. Lucknow: huge gathering in jhulelal park in lucknow to support Anna hazare. 
31. At Dighalipukhuri, Guwahati a public meeting is held in support of Anna Hazare
32. More than 20 ppl are fasting for almst 3 days at 153,LB ROAD, THIRUVANMIYUR, CHENNAI. for the @janlokpal bill n support to ANNA HAZARE.
33. GURGAON: Protest to support #Janlokpal, Sunday 21st aug at Residency Greens, Greenwood City, Opposite Unitech Cyber Park, 7 pm onwards
34. Successful #JanLokPalProtest in Hyderabad dis morning! Gr8 turnout at 7am on a Sunday! Electrifying! About 5000 attended..
35. 2k people rallies in calicut in support of anna.
36. Candle Protest March at Mohali Phase-7 at 7 PM, Chawla Chowk in Support of #JanLokPal and Shri Anna Hazare 
37. Protest currently in progress at JP Nagar Phase 7 in support of India Against Corruption. @janlokpalhttp://t.co/2HPpfLi
38. Rally from mini market,Ashiana Colony, Moradabad today at 6PM.All Volunteers pl. Note
39. March n Protest against Corruption in Bisauli (Budaun)
40. Ppl of Dombivl, In support of #JanLokpal#DombivliGymkhana Sun,21aug-6pm & march to Gharda Circle with candle.Spread the msg
41. Daily candle light protest march at People's plaza,Necklace road, Hyderabad at 6pm. Meri shaam desh ke naam!!
42. Panchkula, Sec-20 (Haryana): DAILY Protest March at 7 pm from VITA booth (outside Park) - near GHS 40 to support #JANLOKPAL
43. GURGAON - Join candle light protest to support #janlokpalSunday 21 aug at Galleria mkt Ph.4 DLF, 6 pm onwards. 
44. Candle March at 7PM at Swarn Jayanti Park in Indirapuram,Ghaziabad,be there to Support Anna
45. Sending SMS to everyone in my phonebook to attend Rally in support of @janlokpal @ Kali Temple, Beach Rd, Vizag @ 4.30 pm. Glad to be a part
46. In sapourt of Anna Hazare Jan Lokpal August 21, 2011 at Gulabi bagh flatfacebook.com/media/set/?set…pic.twitter.com/XbxrfPg
47. Candle march in Barnala, Punjab: Aaj shaam 6 pm Bhagat Singh chowk to shuru hovega #JanlokpalRamlila Maidan
48. JANLOKPAL ke Samarthan Mai Vishal ANNA MARCH Sham 5 baje REGAL SQUARE se. Please Join And Forward.IAC-INDORE
49. IAC protest in trichy srirangam temple...http://t.co/twVNEGj
50. Today 12:30pm HarleyD n Enfield though boys will roar thru city from Bandstand to Azad Maidan n bk to Bandra for 1LakhPpl rally @4:30pm
51. Rally in Jaipur at 2.30pm from MNIT JLN road to Amar Jwan Jyoti .
52. rallies everyday @Chakli Circle, Vadodara.. by AOL & others.. AOL today @600pm.. Jai Ho.. fight to Finish, till WE get #JanLokPal
53. rally in Nasik from Rajkamal sweets Nashik road at 11 am
54. 2nd freedom fight Rally at Thane today 21-05-2011 Join there to support #annahazare 
55. BIKE RALLY@ 6 PM IN SIGRAULI . FROM DUDHICHUA TO JAYANT.JOIN US AND LET SHOW THE SPRIT OF SINGRAULIANS.
56. MAHARALLY STARTING FROM MIRA ROAD STATION today 4pm FROM VIRAR SIDE...............JAI HIND
57. Lucknow: Rickshaw rally from sector D indira nagar to jhulelal park,  and Rock concert (patriotic) jhulelal park 5 pm.
58. 21st Pune FC Coll. Main Gate 9-10am: Citizens will sweep the footpaths to symbolize “Sweeping of Corruption” - Carry own brooms
59. Jhansi,U.P.:Candle march today i.e.21 Aug @7 PM at Club bundela BHEL
60. rally arranged from Dwarka hotel Dombivli west at 5 pm on 21st august & bajiprabhu chowk in the east.. at 5 pm..
61. Rally of nearly 5000 people will start from union Bhawan, University Road Halland Hall Gate, Allahabad University Time: 5:00 PM
62. Haridwar, Uttarakhand: Candle March Tomorrow (21Aug) @ 8:00pm at BMS office sec.1 BHEL
63. Udaipur :Rally at fathesagar at 8 to support #annahazzare and JLPB ! So plz come in huge mass for our rights ! Jai hind
64. JODHPUR: Historic Maha-Paidal Rally Tomorrow (21Aug) @ 5:00pm From Medical Collage, Jodhpur, Join where ever you are
65. Peaceful protest outside the house of MP from Jalandhar, Punjab Mahinder Singh KP #janlokpalhttp://t.co/IAvJbN8
66. Big protest and candle light march in front of Thane MP Sanjeev Naik's home. Handed over memorandum
67. Peaceful protest outside the residence of Congress leader Manish Tewari in Delhi 
68. Ppl protesting frm Rohini sec-7 to pitam pura metro station. More than 700-800 people but peaceful n ensuring traffic runs smooth