Mumbai:  All of 17 years, Vijay Shroff had his task cut out for him. 'Stay underground, remember you are young and have a role to play.' And play he did, working on 'Swatantra Patrika' to keep freedom seekers in the loop on what was happening in the times of the British Raj. 

Now 88-years-old, as he watches the crowds, predominantly youngsters, at Azad Maidan shouting slogans of freedom, he smiles. "This is unlike the freedom struggle against the British but I'm very happy to see the same spirit and energy of these youngsters. In that sense this could be not the second but third big mass movement after the freedom struggle and then the fight against the Emergency," he said. "What Anna has managed to do is commendable. When was the last time you saw such a nation-wide support, a public movement in the recent past?"

85-year-old MT Gangwani, who also took part in the Quit India Movement of 1942 agrees, "We fought against foreigners then, they were alien to us...if we could make them beat a retreat, why won't we succeed with our own?"

Gangwani, who was removed from his school for supporting the freedom movement and even went to jail, says he's willing to do it all over again.

"Perhaps the only handicap now is age", quips Shroff.

Standing on stage with the tricolour in hand, freedom fighter and former Mayor of Bombay in 1970, Dr. Shanti Patel doesn't let his age bog him down, his voice loud and clear as he addresses the gathering. "I'm here to support this movement that's against corruption. After more than 60 years of independence, people don't get the basic necessities that they should. The number of people who don't even get two meals in a day is tremendous and even government figures say it is increasing. So many are dying of hunger. What's worse, our politicians are so used to adopt corrupt means for getting their way. I support Anna's cause. This is the common man's fight."

"I was once offered a ticket to stand for elections, but I refused because I knew I would have needed money power, says 81-year-old Dr. Ranjit Shah, who was only 13-years-old when he first joined India's freedom movement.

"Since I was under 18 years, I got arrested a number of times, but they had to let me go," he laughs. "Now, there is no guarantee, you see."

Yet, in the growing numbers, he sees hope. "This tempo is different from the fight for independence, and so is the aim. Then, we were trying to be 'azaad'; now we are trying to be 'aabaad'."