New Delhi: Eight-year-old Ikrah and Simran took centrestage at the Ramlila Maidan on Sunday when they gave a glass of tender coconut water to Anna Hazare for ending his fast on the Lokpal issue after 12 days.
Ikrah, a fourth standard student in a local school in Daryaganj, had people including media personnel jostling to ask her what Hazare told her while she was seated with him for nearly an hour. Shy as she was facing TV cameras for the first time, Ikrah tried to repeatedly hide behind her uncle and father who accompanied her to the dais.
It was her uncle who held her and made her speak to people who posed a volley of questions to the child. "Annnaji told me to study well," she mumbled to her uncle Ahmed who repeated it before the cameras.
The kid`s father Shakimullah and the uncle have been with Hazare since he began his first fast in April demanding a strong Lokpal.
Shakimullah told a news agency that he was told only in the morning by Team Anna that his daughter would be among the two kids who would give Anna coconut water to end his hunger strike.
"We did not know till this morning that my daughter would make Anna break the fast. We are so proud that we have been given this opportunity," he said.
Simran was too shy to face the cameras and left the maidan without talking to people.
Ikrah said Anna asked her to "study well and make it big in life".
"Anna smiled at me and I reciprocated. I was so happy and Anna told me `Thank You`," she said.
Though Ikrah`s mother did not accompany her, she watched the event on television, her father said.
"My mom wants me to be a police officer. I am so happy today," she said.
PTI