Baba Ramdev, who has been observing a fast on the Ramlila Maidan here, on Sunday warned that he might march to Parliament on Monday and court arrest if the government continued to “ignore” his demands on black money and the Lokpal Bill.
The warning came after he wrote to the Prime Minister as the government is yet to open an official channel of communication with him.
What began as a “symbolic” fast on Thursday, entered its fourth day on Sunday. The yoga guru was to have announced his plans on Saturday evening, but he had been extending the deadline and deferring the announcement of his next course of action.
On Saturday, he said he would announce his strategy on Sunday morning, but deferred it for the evening with a letter to the Prime Minister. And on Sunday evening, he again deferred the decision to Monday morning.
“If the government does not listen to our demands then it should better be ready with a big jail which can accommodate such a large crowd,” he said, referring to his supporters. The crowd has decreased since Saturday.
Social activist Kiran Bedi and the former Army Chief, General (retd.), V.K. Singh, visited Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, extending their support to the yoga guru. Ramdev raised the pitch against the UPA government, blaming the Congress for all the ills plaguing the country, including corruption and poverty. He said if the government did not deliver on his demands of the Lokpal Bill and curbing black money and corruption, he would ask people not to vote for the ruling party.
“It [the Congress] has ruled the nation for the majority of the years since Independence. Hence, it is responsible for 90 per cent of the problems relating to corruption. If the rulers of the country stop listening to the demands of millions of people they better leave their posts.”
Contrasting stand
This high-pitch stand against the Congress was in complete contrast to his stance at the beginning of the fast. On Thursday, he lauded Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and invited her to the fast venue.
He said the government should declare the black money stashed away abroad as a “national asset.”
Shifting the focus of the debate to farmers, General Singh termed the government a “property dealer” of farmers’ land.
“It is shocking but true that over two lakh farmers have committed suicide since 1995. The problems of farmers will have to take the forefront in this movement as the government has turned a blind eye to their woes,” he said.
Ms. Bedi asked the crowd to “raise a united front against corruption” and “form a coalition against the corrupt.”
“We also need a law to control black money. If there is a Lokpal, then black money in India will come down but for that to happen we need a vote bank of honest persons,” she said.
Keywords: Baba Ramdev protest, black money issue, Ramlila Maidan, Lokpal demand, anti-corruption movement
All the people who are protesting that Lokpal will just be an another powerfull civic body riddled with corruption,lets admit we indians never walk a straight line unless there a stick on our head. We have always worked by the power of "Danda" and incidently "Danda (read laws)" has always worked(goes for every nation actually). US has such strict laws that's why there is minimal corruption. Their laws are strict and rigorous. You people can say all about moral values at lower levels but face the reality when we grow up all that gets washed up. Would you think we would have ever given constitutional rights to untouchables unless it is necessitated by law.NO!! We would never have. So think about it!! A Strong lokpal is necessary!!
It is all a show. Cashing in on the public issues. It is not a people centered agitation. It is all about politics and power. Wish people are wise enough to throw away these false messiahs.
Team Anna and Baba Ramdev are only giving expression to the feelings of the people of this country which the Congress Party, the government it leads and a large section of the media are ignoring.They cannot do it much longer.The voice of the people is getting louder by the day.
do u really things these protest will bring any new direction to our society.....even Mahatma Gandhi used "anshan " as a last tool for protest....
Black money stashed abroad cannot be brought back in 72 hours, without
the cooperation of host nations. Isn't that obvious to Ramdev?
Ever since the beginning of the Andolans against corruption by Ramdev
and Annaji,I have seen useless debates and read comments by people
totally not helping the possibility created by these movements.One
group says that Ramdevji is a clown and a pauper but has large
following and the other group says that Annaji has only middle class
and Maharashtra's people support and thus they try to discard both
these movements as immature and going nowhere.Most of these theorists
and analysts are unfortunately those people who haven't been able to
bring about any change in the system themselves but enjoy to
analyse,criticize,show their faces on tv or are paid media agents who
are just speaking and commenting for the sake of it.Get out of your
cocoons and limited theories and go out there and help the movements
by putting forth your valuable views (if any) instead of cribbing.You
have the right to question the people who are doing andolan but had
they been non-credible,they would have already lost.
It's ridiculous for Ramdev to talk about black money when he has stashed huge amounts of black money abroad and bought an island too with his hawala trade.
This is like the story of a capseller and the monkeys - where Ramdev is trying to ask other monkeys to through their caps so he can gather and take it to his island!
Anna Hazare is better than Ramdev who has proved his principles in his village and he lives to it.
it is also right the govt should take the jon lokopalbil and displayed to the public my self rajesh from orrisa and i very much supporting to anna hajare
you welcome ms bedi
The congress government has ignored all serious issues in the past and so is this one. Their game plan matches the British Raj, just ignore the problem and try to divide and rule.
Corruption and black money are the serious scourges facing India, which are acting as a road block to ensure inclusive growth and development of the country. Corruption and black money are also the root cause of growing inequality and deprivation. The estimate of black (unaccounted) money held by Indians, both in India and abroad is estimated to be around $1000 to $ 3000 billion. The estimated black money stashed abroad by Indians and Indian entities varies between $500 and $1,500 billion. This huge amount has been appropriated from the people of India by exploiting and betraying them. If this huge amount of black money and property comes back to India, the entire foreign debt can be liquidated. And after paying the entire foreign debt, India will have huge resources to invest in development programmes and welfare measures. Dependence on FDI can be substantially reduced. If corruption is controlled, generation of black money can be controlled to a large extent. Of course, for significant dent on corruption and black money there should be change in the mind set of politicians, bureaucrats and the public. Although the government is worried about the growing voices against corruption and black money, there appears to be any determined effort to root out corruption and black money.
Billionaire Ramdev can do any thing to fetch crowd. Ask him about
Balkrishna.
Unfortunately the age old freedom fighting traditional Congress Party is been highjacked by few criminals, who has only one agenda to make money & remain in power at any cost. I think Mrs Sonia Gandhi has destroyed this party. I would not surprise if Congress short of 100 seats in next election.
That the UPA government and Congress Party have a lot to lose from a strong Lok Pal and other anti-corruption measures goes without saying. Why else have they been so personal and viscous against all those who have been agitating for over a year now? They have tried to destroy Anna Hazare, Baba Ramdev, Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi. Digvijay Singh, Manish Tiwari, Salman Khurshid and Chidambaram have taken the most vicious jabs at these people. UPA government has tried to cajole them, arrest them, divide them, and finally destroy. All these with some vengeance and venom not witnessed in Indian public life in a long time. The biggest loser from these shameful events is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He would be known as the most corrupt Prime Minister in India’s history. He may not be corrupt personally but has been a willing accomplice to accommodate and protect his corrupt ministers and party colleagues. He is most willing to meet prominent businessmen but didn’t have time to discuss the important issues raised by an impeccably honest and simple man like Anna Hazare. Instead he let his cohorts destroy him and his team. All that clearly to protect his corrupt government and party. That’s the choice Manmohan Singh has made and that’s what he will be judged by history.
In the modern world news scenario,it is obvious that the Swiss govt./Swiss bankers are not oblivion of what and how the poor and the honest people of India are upto in desperately trying to weed out corruption. So then why are they siding with the corrupt politicians by protecting their ill-gotten wealth and not disclosing their names? OR is it that our politicians have mastered the art of corrupting the saints too ?
There can't be any section of people who do not endorse the call of
"Remove corruption'. But there is no such country wide support for
instituting Lok al. Some have doubts if that institution will itself
turn out to be as bad as others. The country will be riddled with
another wild elephant and the way it is proposed to be constituted it
may be almost impossible to mend it. Similarly the witch hunt that may
follow its installation can paralyze administration. For example, I am
hearing Baba Ramdev urging Government, even threatening it, to bring
in Lok Pal and in the same voice threatening more vehemently that 90
per cent (thanks for his concession to the remaining 10 per vent) of
the existing ministers will be behind bars. The arrest of ministers
seems to be the primary object and not in any way improving the
functioning of the system. Moreover, in all of Anna Hazare's and Baba
Ramdev's warnings I don't hear any word on Lokayuktas being appointed
on same terms for the states.
we need not go further into the details of agitations on corruption and
black money,this incompetent manmohan singh led congress and upa
government should go .this has spoiled india in all fronts.all congress
people are corrupt led by sonia.congress and upa constituents should be
thrown out of power. ji, we support whatever you do.
Dr Manmohan Singh with his personal image lost a golden opportunity to prove his honesty now by not taking any steps in the anti-black money drive inspite of promising that he would do so within 100 days if UPA was voted to power in 2009. People can now rightly suspect that he joined the rest of the corrupt group and closing his eyes to whatever was going on under his nose would not make him a Rishi or honest sage.
I am not sure if there is a gap in understanding reality. There is
only one lokpal bill introduced in the Parliament by the Congress with
the support of UPA alliance. The BJP did not table any other Bill that
even resemble Annaji's demands. The Bill that ws rotting for 40 years,
congress brought to life. It got it through the Loaksabha where they
have majority. Congress ha dno majority in Rajya Sabha, there the BJP
rules. So why Anna attacking Congress alone. Secondly nothing can
happen until after 2014 as we approach election so what is this
demands on the government? If any party offer any thing they cant do
much till we know who will run country after 2014. Look at UP
elections. Anna team was marginalized and they went attacking Congress
and yet see what we have now? Now we have Minister who tells civil
servants to do chori. Anna and Baba can not along even there is no
power to share? Both busy showing who has more support and now Bedi
jumps to Anna and i am sure Anna will join
Media is not providing due coverage to Baba Ramdev's movement against corruption and black money. This goes on to prove how media is being controlled by the UPA govt.
sir, the best way to fight corruption is by not instituting Lokpal. The main reason is any such independent Organisation after its creation becomes corrupt due to its power. Power corrupts and absolut power corrupts absolutely.Any leader when he succeds in becoming an MP more than once commands influence and power which he often fails to utilise for the good of the nation. Thru his influence, his relatives and friends get elected or better positions and power.for e.g, our UP state leadr-Mulayam singh. So the best way is to make reforms in our electoral system to ensure that none of the present MPs and MLAs (who may be ministers in the central or state govt) shd give way to others,preferably not their sons or uncles.Let them still remain and work as guides and leaders to their successors. Let the Nation give respect as erstwhile ministers or MPs and may guide the new comers-MPs/MLAs/Ministers. This is a gradual process by which the old guys would loose their power to corrupt.
We welcome Ms Bedi's views. We wish success for the fight against
corruption. Let the Government enact LOKPAL and get goodwill out of it.
We welcome Ms Bedi's views. We wish success for the fight against
corruption. Let the Government enact LOKPAL and get goodwill out of it.
More committees and more structures to replicate what is already there
and build empires is not what people want. What is needed is the
emphasis that the civil service becomes efficient. It means the system
is managed efficiently and the works feel they have a stake in making
sure the processes and outcomes are their pride. There is an issue of
supply and demand here. People like to bend rules when it suits the.
Go on do jail bharo - that means break law. The society is deprived of
a relevant debate as the focus is diverted to attack congress and
individual politicians. The words 'strong' lokpal is a good sound bite
and dies not have any purpose! Look at UP, the Anna team did all the
song and dance to hut Congress it changed the administration to what?
One day they are - Anna and Baba were on one platform, hugging and
promising tow ork together next day they fell out. Now our ben Bedi
goes to Baba as there is large crowed. There is no Political Moriarty
and real understanding.
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