Haridwar, Jun 5 : Hours after being bundled out of Delhi, Baba Ramdev targeted Congress president Sonia Gandhi and government, alleging that his peaceful agitation was treated with unprecedented “barbarism” and vowed to continue his ‘satyagraha' against corruption.
Reaching his ashram here after the midnight crackdown at his protest site in Ramlila ground in the national capital, a visibly shaken yoga guru alleged that there was a conspiracy to kill him and a “threat” was given to him during a meeting with senior ministers.
Wearing a white ladies suit instead of his trademark saffron robes, Ramdev accused the government of not being serious about discussing issues of corruption and black money stashed abroad and alleged that government negotiator Kapil Sibal had cheated him through “scheming and cunning” attitude.
“The barbarism and atrocities inflicted by police on one lakh people crossed all limits and even women and children were not spared...they dragged and beat them up,” he said.
Attacking Sonia while talking about last night's developments, Ramdev said “She is running the government by remote-control. She is daughter-in-law of this country... she does not love the mothers and sisters of this country.”
“If anything happens to me, Sonia and Congress government will be responsible...the government, especially the Congress, do not want to see me alive as my movement can expose their black deeds,” he said.
However, asked if he feels Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was responsible for the incident, he merely said “the ministers said they are coming on behalf on the PM”.
Ramdev rejected the government's charge that he misused the permission given to him for a yoga camp at the ground, saying his agitation was also part of yogic elements.
Narrating to his followers how he tried to escape the “brutalities” at Ramlila by wearing a women's attire after the midnight swoop by police, Ramdev at times seemed nearing tears as he alleged that he was nearly strangulated with his scarf by the policemen. “I asked them, do you want to kill me?”
He claimed there was firing during the crackdown and several workers are in ICU. Ramdev said he has not called off his agitation but did not specify where he would continue it.
Ramdev said “black day” will be observed peacefully across the country today and tomorrow against the police action which he termed as a “blot on democracy”.
He also alleged that there was a conspiracy to arrest him and “eliminate” him in an encounter.
“They were ready to unleash another Jallianwala Bagh. We were pressurised to give the letter (about ending the fast by June 6). We were told the otherwise we will have to suffer the consequences,” the yoga guru claimed.
Asked about allegations raised against him by Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh, he termed them as “baseless and irresponsible”.
“I am serving the people for 20 years. If people give donation to me that is the fruit of their labour, not black money,” he said.
On accusations of RSS remote-controlling his agitation, he said his campaign had got support from various quarters including TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu.
“What is the problem if someone supports us? They (government) should rather answer why all these happened,” he said when persistently asked about Sangh Parivar backing. PTI
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