IANS/Mumbai

Dabbawalas shout slogans during a protest march in Mumbai yesterday
Striking work for the first time in their 120-year-old history, Mumbai’s famed dabbawalas (tiffin box-carriers) yesterday extended support to anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare in his fight for a stronger Lokpal bill.
“Dabbawalas joined in large numbers to lend their support to Annaji,” said Nutan Dabbawala Trust president Raghunath Medge.
“They all wore caps with Anna’s name on it and marched peacefully from Churchgate station to Azad Maidan (in south Mumbai) without disrupting traffic. This is Anna’s way of peaceful protest,” he added.
Nearly two lakh Mumbaikars depend on the dabbawalas for lunch. But yesterday they either ate at their office canteen, or visited a neighbourhood restaurant - if they were not on a holiday due to Navroz, the Parsi New Year.
Meanwhile, those who were working complained of being deprived of home-cooked food.
For finance professional Akshay Magji, it was “additional pressure” having to order food from a restaurant.
“It has been an additional pressure on me. On Thursday buses and trains disrupted local commute. Now with dabbawalas on strike, I was forced to eat at a restaurant. It took over an hour, plus I didn’t get to eat home-cooked food,” he said.
Agreed software professional Shrenik Mehta. “Is it not irritating enough that I have to work when most of my friends are enjoying a holiday?” he asked.
“With the dabbawalas’ strike, I am deprived of home-cooked food. I know they have been meticulous in delivery of tiffins so far. I would request them to support Anna - but not at the cost of the common man,” he added.
Raghunath Medge, however, said that they called for strike yesterday keeping in mind that most offices would be closed owing to Navroz. “I agree that our valued customers were inconvenienced owing to the strike call, but I am sure it will be a small percentage,” he said.
Nutan Dabbalwala Trust secretary Kiran Gavande said: “We are breaking our 120-year-old tradition by not providing tiffins. This is the least we can do to support Annaji.”