Baba Ramdev's protest fast against corruption has drawn people from all sections of society, from all parts of the country. The presence of women in large numbers marks the protest significant. There are separate sitting arrangements for women.

Governance Now wanted to get an insight into the minds of these women who have decided to join the movement. We spoke to women who are government servants, teachers, professors, shopkeepers and housewives.

Shailja Yadav, a Sanskrit professor from Baba Ramdev's own district Mahendragarh, Haryana, said, "I started respecting Baba when his ayurvedic treatment cured my cancer. It was like a second life to me. My belief in Baba Ramdev's abilities to cure the cancer of corruption has only become stronger day by day."

Asked how the movement would benefit women in particular, she said, "When thousands of crores of black money comes back to India, prices will go down; the basic necessities of life will be within access range of common women."

Veena Sharma, who teaches fashion technology in an ITI at Delhi, said that she has to face corruption at every level in society, even for cleaning the DDA park in her colony where she has to pay Rs 50 to the government-employed sweeper. "I had lost all hopes but Baba's enthusiasm, enterprise and commitment has restored the hope that maybe corruption will come down significantly in my lifetime."

Phulwa Devi, Monia Devi and Saraswati Devi have come all the way from Jharkhand in a group of 50 women. Each one of them has paid Rs 400 for the trip. They could barely speak Hindi. In her Hindi laced with Chhota Nagpuri language, Phulwa Devi said, "We do not know in detail about the various issues that Baba has raised. All we know is that he is fighting against corruption. We trust Baba completely. We know that whatever he is doing will benefit poor people like us. That's why we have decided to come."

Women have high hopes from the movement and the abilities of Baba Ramdev. But today is only the first day of the past and the days that follow will tell them whether they are right.