New Delhi, Aug 11 (PTI): As Baba Ramdev’s fast entered the third day on Saturday, the yoga guru threatened to intensify his stir if his demands on black money and Lokpal bill are not met by the deadline set by him and decided to knock on the doors of the President to put pressure on the government.
Baba Ramdev had set a three-day ultimatum, which ends on Saturday evening, to the government to address the issues raised by him when he launched his three-day fast on Thursday at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi.
“We will wait till evening (to hear from the government on our demands). Our three day deadline ends then. After that period is over, a roar will arise from this very Ramlila Maidan.
“We have not been taking names. But after then, we will take names who were in fault in this looting of country’s wealth,” he said in the morning addressing the crowd, whose count has been on the decline since yesterday.
After a meeting with his close aides to decide on the future course of action, he said he will submit support letters collected from gram sabhas and MPs to the President and urge him to put pressure on government to act.
“We have gone to more than 1.25 lakh gram sabhas and got their support letters. We have also received support letters from 225 MPs. We will take these support letters to President, who is well versed with matters of economics. We will urge him to put pressure on government, so that it will act,” he said.
Baba Ramdev also claimed that he has the support of many Congress MPs but they are “scared” of giving it in writing fearing suspension from the party.
“Some have given the support letters, I would urge them not to just give in writing but also to air views in public.
Then there would be more pressure on government and they would be forced.
“Even if the government does not do anything, then the government will have to give answers to people. If the whole of India wants it, then why does not the government act? These are not imaginative or impossible demands. These are in public interest and then what is the problem?” Baba Ramdev said.
He also said India’s standing in the world will increase if an honest person hoists the flag on Independence Day.
“If a person with clean hands hoists the tricolour, it will raise the country’ prestige. But, if it is hoisted by some dishonest person, then it will be disgraceful. How can it be, that you have a tricolour in your hands and you do not have the tricolour in your heart,” he said.
Baba Ramdev had said on Friday that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should show “political honesty and political will” on the issue of black money and tackling corruption.
He had also said that he will not leave the protest venue without a “big decision” from government on steps to bring back black money and enactment of a strong Lokpal law. “Only after a big decision from the government, we will leave Ramlila Maidan,” he said.