NEW DELHI: Government and Congress kept up their offensive against Baba Ramdev, justifying the police action against the yoga guru and dubbing him an RSS proxy, while warning him not to arm his supporters.
Citing instances of RSS's support for Baba's campaign, home minister P Chidambaram said, "This is not an agitation by a yoga teacher or yoga guru, this is a political agitation which is fully backed by the RSS and its front organizations... we will allow peaceful protests but we will not allow anything that will trigger a conflagration."
Citing instances of RSS's support for Baba's campaign, home minister P Chidambaram said, "This is not an agitation by a yoga teacher or yoga guru, this is a political agitation which is fully backed by the RSS and its front organizations... we will allow peaceful protests but we will not allow anything that will trigger a conflagration."
Asked about Ramdev's announcement that he would set up an 11,000-strong force to deal with police and anti-social elements attempting to disrupt his movement, Chidambaram said this showed his "true colours and true intention". "Let him do that, the law will deal with that," he asserted during a press conference just after giving an interview where he hit out at the yoga guru.
However, he declined to answer questions on allegations of financial irregularities against Ramdev and his close aide Balkrishna saying, "There will be an opportunity to answer these questions in future."
Chidambaram's offensive was part of a concert which saw minister of state in the PMO V Narayanswami and Congress spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan attacking Ramdev for being an alleged front of the RSS.
Unlike Chidambaram, Narayanswami was forthcoming when dealing with the allegation that Ramdev and his associates were guilty of financial irregularities. "We are investigating Ramdev's financial transaction. If found true, action will be taken," he said. Reacting sharply over Ramdev's slogan to raise an army, Narayanswami said, "He (Ramdev) is BJP's mask."
Chidambaram listed out instances showing RSS's link to Ramdev's agitation. He said the government had taken note of the resolution passed by the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (of the RSS) on March 10-13 at Puttur, Karnataka and the announcement by RSS of the formation of an "Anti-Corruption Front" with Ramdev as its patron and K N Govindacharya as its convenor.
Chidambaram's offensive was part of a concert which saw minister of state in the PMO V Narayanswami and Congress spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan attacking Ramdev for being an alleged front of the RSS.
Unlike Chidambaram, Narayanswami was forthcoming when dealing with the allegation that Ramdev and his associates were guilty of financial irregularities. "We are investigating Ramdev's financial transaction. If found true, action will be taken," he said. Reacting sharply over Ramdev's slogan to raise an army, Narayanswami said, "He (Ramdev) is BJP's mask."
Chidambaram listed out instances showing RSS's link to Ramdev's agitation. He said the government had taken note of the resolution passed by the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (of the RSS) on March 10-13 at Puttur, Karnataka and the announcement by RSS of the formation of an "Anti-Corruption Front" with Ramdev as its patron and K N Govindacharya as its convenor.
The home minister also pointed to ABVP's decision on May 12 to float an organization named ‘Youth Against Corruption' and to coordinate with Ramdev; and the circular issued on May 20 by Suresh Joshi of RSS to all swayamsevaks to render all possible cooperation to Ramdev's campaign.
"Similar instructions were issued on May 28 by Ashok Singhal of the VHP to all its office-bearers," the home minister said. Earlier in the day, Congress too listed out these instances in its daily press briefing.
"Similar instructions were issued on May 28 by Ashok Singhal of the VHP to all its office-bearers," the home minister said. Earlier in the day, Congress too listed out these instances in its daily press briefing.
Asked whether there was a possibility of imposing a permanent ban on Ramdev's visit to Delhi, Chidambaram said, "It will depend on what he wants to come to Delhi for and it will also depend upon on the overall security situation at that time. Delhi Police will take a decision."
The home minister claimed that government had decided in advance that if Ramdev went on a fast-unto-death, he would be denied permission and told to move out of Delhi. That decision was not enforced earlier because the government was engaged in a dialogue.
The home minister claimed that government had decided in advance that if Ramdev went on a fast-unto-death, he would be denied permission and told to move out of Delhi. That decision was not enforced earlier because the government was engaged in a dialogue.
"Ultimately, when the talks failed and he went back on his words, police was told to enforce the decision," he said, adding 43 civilians were injured in the action.
Rubbishing the comparison of the police action to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Chidambaram, in an interview to DD News, said, "That is a shameful comparison. One lady has been critically injured and I have already expressed my deep sense of sadness... we are reaching out to the family. To compare this with Jallianwala Bagh betrays colossal ignorance."
The home minister said no one in the country supported corruption. "Who says that anyone is opposed to anti-corruption movement. You support anti-corruption, I support anti-corruption, a large number of people want to join the anti-corruption movement. "We have no objection as long as the protest is peaceful. But Ramdev was not given permission to hold any kind of protest or demonstration. His permission was to hold a yoga session and had in writing reiterated that there will be no programme at all except residential yoga camp," he said.
Chidambaram said there was an input to suggest that harm could be done to Ramdev. "I can't say who is behind this or how far this was true. But there was an input and this was shared with Ramdev... and that was one of the reasons that Delhi Police took the decision that he should remove himself from Delhi."
Chidambaram said there was an input to suggest that harm could be done to Ramdev. "I can't say who is behind this or how far this was true. But there was an input and this was shared with Ramdev... and that was one of the reasons that Delhi Police took the decision that he should remove himself from Delhi."
