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Opinion

Maha kranti against graft

This time yoga guru Baba Ramdev is looking more cautious and subdued in his actions and words. Once bitten twice shy. It seems the yoga guru still remembers the midnight police action against a congregation of his followers and his overwhelming assertions then. He had to escape in woman clothes, that is, salwar and kameez, to avoid a bashing by the police. It was astonishing as well as amusing to see a bearded man with tied hair in such a dress and half covered face. He has gathered a large crowd at the Ramlila Grounds, no matter if any politician may call it a regular feature and part of the annual Ramlila. The
yoga guru’s
disciples are as involved as their guru is. The followers are in an upbeat mood though their yoga guru is uttering words with care and caution. He has, in fact, redesigned his firing zone and his armory. The yoga guru has also learnt many tips of changing colors at any convenient time like an apt and experienced politician. Moreover his present sit-in at the Ramlila grounds has exposed the relationship between the yoga guru and Team Anna. It has become clear that their claim of co-operating with each other was baseless and, one can easily say, flimsy. Their roots, branches and even leaves were never interested to see each other.  

The yoga guru addressed Sonia Gandhi as mata, mother, and Rahul Gandhi as bhrata, brother. It is yet to be understood, the meaning of picking words like mata and bhrata. Is it a paradigm shift in his approach and agitation? Has he decided to abandon his fiery language and tone forever? The answer is no, as he is giving non-feasible deadlines and putting a question mark on the political honesty of even the prime minister. A product of the countryside, the yoga guru has yet to learn the urban texture, taste and temperament. He might be correct in his mind but he will look as if he is blunt and bitter. When the
yoga guru
was asked why a particular person is annoyed with him, he replied that there is no cause of annoyance as I have not taken away his buffalo, that is, Maine kya uski Bhains khol li hai. This is not the only incident to cite. Such incidents are not rare.  Of course, he won’t be able to forget the feel and accent of Alipur village of Mahendragrh district in Haryana. Ramkrisan Yadav of the small village became yoga guru Ramdev. The fame did not come in days, it took him years to attain this iconic position. After studying till the 8th standard in the village, he studied in gurukuls and Gurukul
Kangri Vishvavidyalaya, Kankhal, Hardwar, before moving into Himalayan caves to practice meditation and self-discipline. He earned prominence due to his regular yoga camps, and yoga teaching shows on different electronic channels, yoga camps in various countries, jan jagran yatras in a large number of cities and small towns across the country and his address in the Muslim dominated Deoband University. Further, the yoga guru came into contact with all sort of influential persons including Ministers, Chief Ministers, Leaders, Officers, Capitalists, and Film Stars and so on. During his discourses, he described coca cola as a toilet cleaner and slammed the allopathic system of medicine. He also displayed his wide knowledge of the human body and connected ailments. During inauguration of his
Yoga Peeth
at Hardwar, host of VIPs including Chief Ministers, Ministers and others were present. His spread out network of Patanjali free consultation centres took the yoga guru to the masses. The yoga guru’s political ambitions became super active to see surging crowds in his camps and other meets.Though the yoga guru has not yet become odious, he has lost his rating after dramatic culmination of his much hyped earlier movement in June 2011. At that point of time the yoga guru also became a laughing stock as he could not carry on his fast for a longer duration. The yoga guru has also had to face embarrassment because of his close associate,
Acharya Balkrishan.
Despite all this, the yoga guru has not changed his intentions and continued to keep himself in the limelight by his statements and commitments.

The yoga guru once again entered the Ramlila Grounds with full strength and modern tentage, a force of volunteers, medical units and Annapurna Rasoi offering delicious cuisine cooked in desi ghee. The crowd was looking responsive, and the yoga guru, with his shrewdness, started shifting issues tactically. The yoga guru announced that his agitation was not against the government. Despite this, the yoga guru attacked the government with words and style. The
yoga guru
twisted issues like changing postures quickly in his yogic exercises. The Lokpal Bill became his first priority, then black money. The yoga guru expressed his desire to accept the Lok Pal Bill in any form, initially. He raised a number of issues including the independence of statutory bodies. He offered to invite political parties on the stage at the Ramlila grounds. The yoga guru went ahead in demanding an honest prime minister for the country. Further, the yoga guru questioned the right of the prime minister to unfurl the national flag from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Is the present PM not an honest one? Which view is the aam aadmi going to believe? Baba’s verbal bombardment is unending as he is talking of Maha Kranti. What is this going to be? 

Sat Pal is a communication consultant and has worked with several central and state ministers
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