Whats your business here?

BANGALORE: While Freedom Park doubled up as a freedom fest over the weekend with college students and families coming in large numbers to show that they support Anna Hazare, vendors from different parts of the city made their way to Freedom Park hoping to find more customers at the freedom fest.Raja, a vendor selling bhel puri, usually puts up a stall at Palace Grounds.But on Sunday he was outside the park trying to make the best of the business opportunity that Freedom Park had begun to offer over the last week.“Over the last two days, I’ve earned quite a bit. Yesterday alone, I made close to Rs 500,” he said.It is the same story with other vendors who decided to come to Freedom Park from Cubbon Park, Kalasipalayam and M G Road in search of more business over the weekend.While most of the ice cream, groundnut and bhel vendors are stationed outside Freedom Park, some others made their way inside amidst the crowd in search of more customers.Chinnaswamy sells puffed rice inside Freedom Park near the pandal where all the Anna supporters have gathered.When asked if he has the permission to sell inside the park, he said that he had been asked to leave but the promise of more customers made him stay back.“We have asked them (vendors) to sell outside the park and not come anywhere near the ones fasting but they say that this is the only way they can find business,” said an organiser from India Against Corruption.“I did not know about the huge gathering at Freedom Park. As soon as I heard, I came here. Yesterday I sold around 300 cups of coffee,” said Lokesh, the owner of a mobile coffee shop. Stationed in the parking area inside the park, his coffee van is an attractive option for many people gathered at the park.