Rift Mars Anna-Ramdev Joint Fast Against Corruption, Kejriwal Denies Walkout


Rift Mars Anna-Ramdev Joint Fast Against Corruption, Kejriwal Denies Walkout

New Delhi, Jun 3 (PTI): Denying reports that he left the fast venue after Baba Ramdev snubbed him, Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said that he had to leave as he was unwell and he has the “greatest respect” for the yoga guru.

“I had to leave fast venue bcoz I am v(ery) unwell. I told this to Anna and swamiji. It is wrong to say that I left in protest,” Kejriwal said in a tweet.

“I have greatest respect for swamiji,” he tweeted.

He said he would convince the yoga guru about the importance of taking names and demand action against corrupt people.

“This is a political battle and we will have to name and shame and demand severe action against corrupt people,” he said in his tweet.

“I will personally speak to Swami Ramdev ji. I am sure I will be able to persuade him that naming is important,” he said.

Earlier, Baba Ramdev disapproved of Kejriwal’s comments against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other politicians during his fast along with Hazare saying he was against personal criticism.

Soon after Kejriwal, who was on fast along with Hazare and Baba Ramdev, finished his speech, the yoga guru took the microphone and said “Today, we thought that we will not take anybody’s name. But Arvind took the names”.

“We don’t want any controversies. Arvind does not have any enmity with anyone. The names have been taken in some context. We are against personal criticism,” he said.

During his speech, Kejriwal attacked Dr Singh and his Cabinet colleagues whom the Team Anna had accused of indulging in corruption.

 

Earlier News

Rift Mars Anna-Ramdev Joint Fast Against Corruption, Kejriwal Walks Out

New Delhi, Jun 3 (IANS): Yoga guru Baba Ramdev and activist Anna Hazare's day-long fast against corruption and black money here Sunday was marred by an open rift with Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal walking out after he was chided by Ramdev for naming MPs.

Addressing a crowd of thousands, mainly Ramdev followers, who gathered at the Jantar Mantar on a hot and sultry Sunday, the yoga guru reiterated his demand that the government bring back all black money stashed away in foreign banks.

Ramdev launched a direct attack on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asking him to ensure honesty in his cabinet.

Taking a dig at the joint fast by the two, Samajwadi Party leader Shahid Siddiqui said their alliance would "not yeild any result", while the Congress said the repeated attacks on "democratic institutions" were not "good" for the nation.

Taking on the prime minister, Ramdev said: "The prime minister said that 'I am honest', but the country does not see you as an individual.

"The nation respects you for being an honest individual, but you should also be honest politically. The country sees you as the person holding the highest constitutional post. Your personal honesty is not enough... Keep your cabinet honest," he said.

Kejriwal took the attack a notch further, saying that parliament would never pass the Lokpal bill as long as "MPs like Lalu Prasad, A. Raja and Suresh Kalmadi were present".

Ramdev was quick in snubbing Kejriwal for naming MPs, though he had started the day by attacking the prime minister.

"...today, we thought that we will not take any body's name. But Arvind took the names," Ramdev said after Kejriwal had finished his speech, adding that it would attract "unnecessary controversy".

Kejriwal left the venue soon after the open snub. He, however, tweeted later that he left because he was not well.

SP leader Shahid Siddiqui said Anna Hazare and Ramdev were together because they "need each other's support" and this alliance "will not lead to any result".

"Ramdev has no reputation, though he has money and even an entertainment factor. Anna Hazare has a good reputation, but his group has left him alone. So both are supporting each other because they need each other, but this will not lead to any result," Siddiqui said.

The Congress too criticised the sit-in by the Hazare and Ramdev, and the latter's attacks against the prime minister, saying it was "not in the favour of the nation."

Union Minister of State for Agriculture Harish Rawat said the activists, in the name of fighting corruption, were destroying democratic institutions.

"In the name of fighting corruption they want to destroy all institutions. It will not be accepted," Rawat said.

In the morning, before beginning the fast, Ramdev and Hazare visited Rajghat, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi. Both sat there in meditation for a while, and then went to nearby Shahid Park.

The two then along with supporters reached Jantar Mantar around 10 a.m.

Ramdev, accompanied by his close aide Acharya Balkrishna, also went to Tikri Kalan village in Delhi's outskirts and paid tributes to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose at a memorial there.

At Jantar Mantar, pictures of Rajbala, a 51-year-old woman who died after being injured during the alleged police action on Ramdev supporters at the Ramlila ground agitation last year, were on display.

Elaborate arrangements were in place for the sit-in at Jantar Mantar. Besides Delhi Police personnel, 20 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed and CCTV cameras installed to maintain security.

The fast has been called to mark one year of Ramdev's last agitation at Ramlila ground, from where he was arrested in the middle of the night between June 3 and 4 last year.

  

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Comment on this article

  • Rakesh shetty, mangalore

    Mon, Jun 04 2012

    VERY GOOD BY ANNA GROUP. I AM SURE THIS WILL HIT TO CORRUPT UPA TEAM FROM THE ROOT TO TOP.

    THIS WILL DAMAGE TO COMA STAGE UPA GOVT. THIS IS THE REAL SHOCK TREATMENT TO CORRUPT UPA TEAM.

    SOON OUR DUMB, DOLL PM MANMOHAN WILL RESIGN HIS POST.HE IS THE WASTE CANDIDATE FOR PM POST.

    ALL INDIANS ARE GET TOGETHER NOW TO SAVE OUR INDIA. JAI HO INDIANS.

    DisAgree [31] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • ravi, Bangalore

    Mon, Jun 04 2012

    You are 100% right SHAHAB/Dubai...we blindly believe these guys and first people must check their assets and house and ashram's to see how much they have collected...let him remove the log from his eye then remove the speck from other people's eyes. This is a big drama, fasting now and then and when nobody is looking they are eating and enjoying.

    DisAgree [4] Agree [14] Reply Report Abuse

  • nagesh nayak, bangalore

    Mon, Jun 04 2012

    HATS OFF & KOTI KOTI PRANAAM TO SHRIMAAN BABA RAMDEVJI & SHRMAAN ANNA HAZAAREJI.

    NEED OF THE HOUR IS TO THROW AWAY CORRUPT ITALIAN LED UPA FOR THE SURVIVAL OF OUR COUNTRY.

    15 CORRUPT CENTRAL MINISTERS STILL ENJOYING BY THE GRACE OF FORIEGN LADY.

    NO ENQUIRY, NO CBI, NO ED, NO INCOME TAX & OTHER HARASSMENT.

    BUT ALL ENQUIRIES ON JAGAN MOHAN REDDY WHO FOUGHT AGAINST ITALIAN LED CONGRESS & WON WITH THE THUMBING MAJORITY.

    JAI HO ANNAJI & BABAJI.

    DisAgree [45] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Akbar Ali, Sastan

    Mon, Jun 04 2012

    Is it not a Drama? The versatile actors on stage.

    DisAgree [7] Agree [23] Reply Report Abuse

  • Shahab /Dubai, Kasaragod

    Mon, Jun 04 2012

    I use to support this guy blindly but not any more as i got negative feed back about this guy from his own native people with good educational background...they can't be wrong as they hae good sense of humor.

    DisAgree [10] Agree [28] Reply Report Abuse

  • Walter Pereira, Mangalore / Lisbon

    Mon, Jun 04 2012

    One must check how many crores of rupees Anna and Ramdev have in their coffers. All the farce is like the pot calling the kettle black,

    DisAgree [9] Agree [29] Reply Report Abuse

  • KRPrabhu, Kudla/Bengaluru

    Sun, Jun 03 2012

    Though Kejriwal may be a social activist and non corrupt but an accentric minded man and therfore can not be a long time party for any national movement such as run by Anna and Baba Ramdev.It is very essential to have stable mature mindset while working for any nationa movement.Even Justice Santhosh Hegde is can not be a full time activist for such platforum as he is also having accentric mindset.This has been proved at many times.

    DisAgree [11] Agree [36] Reply Report Abuse

  • geoffrey, hat hill

    Sun, Jun 03 2012

    Ladies in the crowd, please take care of your attire in the event of a police intervention!

    DisAgree [14] Agree [53] Reply Report Abuse

  • rocky, Kuwait

    Sun, Jun 03 2012

    Woow..! posa nataka suru andyee..

    DisAgree [24] Agree [66] Reply Report Abuse

  • R.Fernandes, Dubai

    Sun, Jun 03 2012

    Atlast Anna got somebody to finance his project.

    DisAgree [21] Agree [74] Reply Report Abuse


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Title: Rift Mars Anna-Ramdev Joint Fast Against Corruption, Kejriwal Denies Walkout



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