History won't forgive PM for political sin: Ramdev

Image: Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh

With the government toughening its stand against Baba Ramdev, the yoga guru on Tuesday said he forgave Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh for the crackdown on his agitation but history will not forgive him for the "political sin" he committed.

"The prime minister termed the police action unfortunate. In a way he has accepted his sin. Since he has accepted his sin, I have forgiven him," Ramdev told reporters in Haridwar.

"I have personally forgiven him but the history of not only India but the whole world will never forgive him for the political sin he committed. He has tainted democracy," Ramdev, who is continuing his satyagraha in Haridwar, said.

The yoga guru was reacting to Dr Singh's remarks on Monday that "it was unfortunate that the operation had to be conducted but quite honestly, there was no alternative."

....

'Cong wants to protect terrorists and kill Baba'

Image: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev

Baba Ramdev also attacked the Congress for ridiculing his escape in a women's dress from the ground, saying even Maratha warrior Shivaji had escaped in disguise to secure the nation.

"If anybody saves his life for securing the nation, they won't like it. Even Shivaji had saved his life. But these people do not accept Shivaji as their ideal. Their target is to protect terrorists and kill Baba."

Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi had yesterday said, "A satyagrahi does not run away stealthily wearing women's dress. Satyagrahi is always ready to sacrifice his life".

'Delhi police indulge in clear-cut goondaism'

Image: Supporter of Ramdev is detained by police at the Ramlila grounds
Photographs: Reuters

Ramdev also alleged there could be "five kinds of conspiracies" to eliminate him at the Ramlila ground from where he was evicted after his talks with the government to end the fast failed.

The yoga guru said that he suspects that the police would now edit the recordings made by the CCTV cameras installed at the ground in a bid to wipe out the evidence so that they escape action.

"We had put CCTV cameras in the camp, which recorded the events. If the police had not done anything wrong, why did they took away the footages forcibly. This is clear-cut goondaism of the police.

"Our workers who had gone there have been embroiled in

false cases under a conspiracy. The police will now edit the footage and then release after deleting portions so that no action follows against them," Ramdev said.

'Police lobbed tear gas shells to suffocate me to death'

Image: A policeman stands under an empty smoke-filled marquee after supporters of Ramdev were dispersed by tear gas from the Ramlila grounds
Photographs: Reuters

Ramdev alleged that the police lobbed hundreds of tear gas shells in a bid to suffocate him to death where he was hiding. He said there could be conspiracies to kill him by strangulating, burning the stage on which he was sitting and shooting him.

He said the government's argument that there was a threat of terrorist attack on him could be the fifth conspiracy to eliminate him and alleged that an e-mail has been "manufactured" by the government to make it convincing.

More