Baba Ramdev declares assets over Rs 1,100 cr

Yoga guru Ramdev, who is on an indefinite hunger strike against black money and corruption, on Thursday made public details of his business empire worth over Rs 1,100 crore, claiming everything was in order.

On his sixth day of fast, Ramdev addressed a press conference here during which his close aide Balakrishna said that the capital involving the four trusts run by him totalled Rs 426.19 crore while the expenditure incurred on them amounted to Rs 751.02 crore.

"We believe in transparency in work and in financial matters. There is proper audit of all our firms and companies. As per rules, government renews our trusts after every two years only when our audits are clean. What has come and what has gone, who has given it and how was it spent, is all maintained," Balakrishna said.

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The move to make public assets followed questions raised by Digvijay Singh and other Congress leaders who wanted a thorough probe into the source of the wealth acquired by Ramdev in the last five years.

Balakrishna, however, did not give details of the companies associated with Ramdev, saying it can be obtained from Registrar of Companies under the RTI Act.

"We pay tax as per government norms. TDS is deducted. We follow all rules. Details of all out associate companies can be taken from Registrar of Companies and from the government under the RTI Act. Tax details and balance sheets of trusts have been put on the web site," he said.

While Divya Yoga Mandir trust has a capital of Rs 249.63 crore, Patanjali Yoga Peeth trust has Rs 164.80 crore, Bharat Swabhiman trust has Rs 9.97 crore and Acharyakul Shiksha Sansthan has Rs 1.79 crore -- all totalling Rs 426.19 crore. The exependiture outlined for these trusts since their inception came to Rs 751.02 crore.

The 46-year old yoga exponent, who is under attack for his statement on Wednesday to raise 11,000-strong armed cadre, today clarified that his remarks had been twisted out of context.

Ramdev said this force was not like naxalites, maoists or terrorists or arming them with bombs and guns.

"I am not making terrorists, Naxalites and Maoists. I am only developing a nationalist force. It is for self-defence," he said.

"If our women are able to safeguard themselves then nobody will dare to harm them and if our men are able then they can defend any Ramlila ground-type attack," he said.

"My words should be taken in the right context. People should understand what I have said.I want to train them for self-defence. Shaastra means knowledge and shastra means self-defence," he said.