<p>Save the Indo-US nuclear deal, which created a ruckus on the policy front, the early morning police swoop on the sleeping followers of the fasting yoga guru Baba Ramdev, drew a sharp reaction against the government from across all political parties.<br /><br /> The dramatic but deliberate action left many questions unanswered, the silence from the UPA government and its lead party - the Congress – not helping matters. For, the crackdown was resorted by the same government which had earlier pulled all stops to roll out a red carpet welcome to the yoga exponent and sent its senior-most politician-minister Pranab Mukherjee as leader of a four-minister team to the airport to mollify the guru. <br /><br />While the controversy mounted over sending a team to airport, two UPA ministers – Kapil Sibal and Subodh Kant Sahay – held a five-hour meeting with him in a star hotel. But the Baba did not budge and decided to carry on with his indefinite fast. <br /><br />What remains to be answered is why did the government go for a high-voltage action, just two hours after sending its second letter of assurance on the slew of demands to the fasting Yoga guru and without waiting for his response. While Delhi Police have maintained that the action was carried out because there was a terror threat, others described it as high-handed reminding them of the Emergency.<br /><br />The action has led one to ponder as to what implication of it would have on the Congress and UPA, politically. Government and party sources told Deccan Herald that the decision-makers arrived at this well thought-out ‘solution’ to the issue after a lot of deliberation and calculations on its pros and cons. <br /><br />“The government was worried over civil society garnering groundswell of support recently. Now, on top of it came the Baba Ramdev’s fast which too was turning out to be hugely popular. We have calculated everything and decided that it will not have major impact for either Congress or the UPA”, sources said.<br /><br />They added: “Even if it did (have some impact), it would be temporary. We are happy, BJP and its right-wing organisations are fully behind Ramdev. Finally, the BJP-Baba may come together. It is easy to counter and handle BJP than either Ramdev or civil society”.<br />Why the police action? “First of all, we have the mandate to rule. We have often been criticised for being weak. How many times we should be seen as surrendering? Still, we always took decisions which were most deserving. The current controvery will fizzle out” sources said.<br /><br />Congress insiders dismissed possibilities of any long-term political implications. “There will be no impact. The Baba may be popular in UP, which is going to the polls next year, but it will have no fall-out. Yes, there may be further consolidation of BJP and right-wing organisation but we are not worried about it,” they explained. <br /></p>
<p>Save the Indo-US nuclear deal, which created a ruckus on the policy front, the early morning police swoop on the sleeping followers of the fasting yoga guru Baba Ramdev, drew a sharp reaction against the government from across all political parties.<br /><br /> The dramatic but deliberate action left many questions unanswered, the silence from the UPA government and its lead party - the Congress – not helping matters. For, the crackdown was resorted by the same government which had earlier pulled all stops to roll out a red carpet welcome to the yoga exponent and sent its senior-most politician-minister Pranab Mukherjee as leader of a four-minister team to the airport to mollify the guru. <br /><br />While the controversy mounted over sending a team to airport, two UPA ministers – Kapil Sibal and Subodh Kant Sahay – held a five-hour meeting with him in a star hotel. But the Baba did not budge and decided to carry on with his indefinite fast. <br /><br />What remains to be answered is why did the government go for a high-voltage action, just two hours after sending its second letter of assurance on the slew of demands to the fasting Yoga guru and without waiting for his response. While Delhi Police have maintained that the action was carried out because there was a terror threat, others described it as high-handed reminding them of the Emergency.<br /><br />The action has led one to ponder as to what implication of it would have on the Congress and UPA, politically. Government and party sources told Deccan Herald that the decision-makers arrived at this well thought-out ‘solution’ to the issue after a lot of deliberation and calculations on its pros and cons. <br /><br />“The government was worried over civil society garnering groundswell of support recently. Now, on top of it came the Baba Ramdev’s fast which too was turning out to be hugely popular. We have calculated everything and decided that it will not have major impact for either Congress or the UPA”, sources said.<br /><br />They added: “Even if it did (have some impact), it would be temporary. We are happy, BJP and its right-wing organisations are fully behind Ramdev. Finally, the BJP-Baba may come together. It is easy to counter and handle BJP than either Ramdev or civil society”.<br />Why the police action? “First of all, we have the mandate to rule. We have often been criticised for being weak. How many times we should be seen as surrendering? Still, we always took decisions which were most deserving. The current controvery will fizzle out” sources said.<br /><br />Congress insiders dismissed possibilities of any long-term political implications. “There will be no impact. The Baba may be popular in UP, which is going to the polls next year, but it will have no fall-out. Yes, there may be further consolidation of BJP and right-wing organisation but we are not worried about it,” they explained. <br /></p>
