Ramdev brings in crowds to Team Anna show
28 July 2012 7:16 AM GMT
It needed the arrival of the yoga guru Ramdev on Friday to soar up the crowd presence at Jantar Mantar, where members of Team Anna – Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodiya and Gopal Rai – are fasting, demanding passage of Lokpal Bill in the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament. The saffron-clad sanyasi arrived in the capital in the morning and first went to Ramlila grounds, where preparations are underway for his protest from 9 August.
In the afternoon, Ramdev accompanied by about 2,000 supporters marched to Jantar Mantar to pledge support to the movement led by Anna Hazare. Ramdev arrived at the dais at around 3.30 pm and hours before his arrival, his supporters had started arriving at the venue with the flags of Bharat Swabhiman Trust. For the first time in past three days the venue looked packed with people. After Ramdev arrived at the scene, it was mostly his show.
Ramdev, however, chose the forum of the India Against Corruption to spell out his disagreement with Team Anna on the mode of agitation. 'For me the issue of corruption and black money are important, individuals are not,' said the yoga guru. Team Anna, however, has been trumpeting names of 15 'corrupt' central ministers, including the prime minister demanding probe against them. They 'glossed over' name of Pranab Mukherjee after he took oath of the office of president.
Ramdev, however, clarified that he and anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare were united in the fight against corruption and black money. He said he supports the movement of Hazare and his team wholeheartedly despite certain differences. Addressing the crowd for the most part in Haryanavi Hindi, he said that the agitation which has started here at Jantar Mantar will go to the Ramlila Maidan when he starts his protest against black money.
Without naming anyone from the Congress, he said that this country belongs to everyone and not just to the government or the party ruling at the centre and everyone in the country had the democratic right to protest.
Ramdev, though, did not talk about the investigation against 15 senior leaders against whom Team Anna has levelled corruption charges, but he did talk about coal scam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh heading the ministry when it took place. About President Mukherjee, he said that since he has become the president, which is a constitutional post, he would not talk about him and the stand of Hazare is also the same on the issue.
In the afternoon, Ramdev accompanied by about 2,000 supporters marched to Jantar Mantar to pledge support to the movement led by Anna Hazare. Ramdev arrived at the dais at around 3.30 pm and hours before his arrival, his supporters had started arriving at the venue with the flags of Bharat Swabhiman Trust. For the first time in past three days the venue looked packed with people. After Ramdev arrived at the scene, it was mostly his show.
Ramdev, however, chose the forum of the India Against Corruption to spell out his disagreement with Team Anna on the mode of agitation. 'For me the issue of corruption and black money are important, individuals are not,' said the yoga guru. Team Anna, however, has been trumpeting names of 15 'corrupt' central ministers, including the prime minister demanding probe against them. They 'glossed over' name of Pranab Mukherjee after he took oath of the office of president.
Ramdev, however, clarified that he and anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare were united in the fight against corruption and black money. He said he supports the movement of Hazare and his team wholeheartedly despite certain differences. Addressing the crowd for the most part in Haryanavi Hindi, he said that the agitation which has started here at Jantar Mantar will go to the Ramlila Maidan when he starts his protest against black money.
Without naming anyone from the Congress, he said that this country belongs to everyone and not just to the government or the party ruling at the centre and everyone in the country had the democratic right to protest.
Ramdev, though, did not talk about the investigation against 15 senior leaders against whom Team Anna has levelled corruption charges, but he did talk about coal scam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh heading the ministry when it took place. About President Mukherjee, he said that since he has become the president, which is a constitutional post, he would not talk about him and the stand of Hazare is also the same on the issue.
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