So it seems Modi endorses his remarks, he should answer to the country whether he endorses such remark, if no then he should apologise to dalits, along with Ramdev,” Oza said. Selja said BJP makes good use of Ramdev to garner votes and slammed the party's defence of the yoga guru. “... Does BJP support him ? They should answer it..We say that he, along with BJP, should give unconditional apology and Narendra Modi himself should apologise,” she said.
On the other hand, BJP spokesman Shanawaz Hussain said “Ramdev is a saint. When he selects words like honeymoon, which is an English word, the context should be understood and its usage seen and not be misconstrued...
“It did not have the kind of meaning as Congress leaders were viewing it as per their own perception,” he said.
BJP also fielded its leading Dalit face Udit Raj who said said he did not see anything “wrong” in Ramdev's remarks and his intention against them was also not “wrong”.
“The word honeymoon is viewed in different contexts. There is honeymoon between parties, people and used for the business community. It is also used to say that (Arvind) Kejriwal's honeymoon has ended. It should be seen in this context and no wrong meaning should be construed to Ramdev's words,” he said.
CPI(M) and CPI demanded prosecution of Ramdev under the SC/ST Act for his “uncivilised statements” against Dalit women and asked the Election Commission to take suo motu notice of his “outrageous comments and take appropriate action”.
In a statement, CPI(M) Politburo member Brinda Karat said “In his references to Rahul Gandhi, Ramdev, a self-declared ‘baba', has made uncivilised statements that demean and insult Dalit women.”
Ramdev “should be prosecuted under SC/ST Act (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act). The Election Commission should also take suo motu notice of his outrageous comments and take appropriate action,” Karat said.
CPI Central Secretariat also sought action against Ramdev by the Election Commission and said law enforcing agencies should book him under the SC/ST Act.
