Fight for justice proving an expensive affair at Jantar Mantar

 NEW DELHI: The protesting wrestlers' fight for justice at Jantar Mantar is turning out to be an 'expensive' one as arranging for even the most basic needs is burning a hole in their pockets. In five days, the wrestlers have spent more than Rs five lakh for arranging mattresses, bed sheets, fans, speakers and microphones, a mini power gen-set, apart from water and food. Initially, they took mattresses, bed sheets and the sound system on rent, shelling out Rs 27,000 for a single day.

Soon they realised that if they have to sit in for a long period, arranging for even little things would become a huge financial burden. "So we decided to buy mattresses. I bought 80 mattresses from my village Kharkhoda by paying Rs 50,000. We were being charged 12000 a day for all the mattresses. That's a huge sum," Somvir Rathi, husband of Vinesh Phogat, said.

"Initially, we had taken speakers and microphones on rent, but the one-day cost was Rs 12,000. It was too much. Now we have bought our own sound system from Chandni Chowk market for Rs 60,000. "The shopkeeper was nice. He knew that athletes are on the road so he gave us the system on a not-for-profit basis," he added.

A few items like fans and generators are still on rent -- both at a combined amount of about Rs 10,000 a day. "We will buy coolers if the need arises. It's very hot out there. We had brought Rs two lakh cash with us but have already spent about 5-6 lakh rupees so far." Agencies

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