At some point, the group was joined by a saffron-clad duo, Swami Agnivesh (born Shyam Vepa Rao and well-known for his campaign against bonded labour) and his Arya Samaji associate, Swami Indravesh. Agnivesh’s presence not only added credibility to the group, there was also the added advantage of being in the company of men in saffron clothes, which in 1984 was still associated with moral rectitude. At one place, Agnivesh even jumped onto a makeshift platform and beseeched the attackers to eschew violence and return home, but to little avail.
