Union minister justifies Ramdev crackdown
The Centre on Friday defended the UPA government’s airport diplomacy with Baba Ramdev and the subsequent midnight swoop on the protesters at the Ramlila maidan. Union Minister of State for Planning and Parliamentary Affairs Ashwani Kumar said here that the UPA was being unnecessarily faulted.
Addressing office-bearers of the KPCC in Bangalore on Friday, Kumar who was in the City to attend an official programme, said the Union ministers had met Ramdev at the airport to ensure that communication lines were open, and that the Centre shouldn’t be faulted later for not having heard out Ramdev’s demands.
He said the police attack on the protesters was inevitable, as the intelligence agencies had received “reliable information” on a law and order situation, and had immediately advised the Delhi police to evict the protesters.
Kumar said it is the standard practice of the police to act when there is least resistance and where it will have to use less force. “It’s not an evidence of brutality as is being claimed by the BJP, for only two or three people out of 50,000-odd people sustained serious injuries,” said the minister.
He said the BJP, which had been “discounted, discredited and defeated” in the eyes of the people during the recently concluded assembly elections in five states, had propped up the “so-called yoga guru”, who shared the dais with “rabidly communal political leaders,” to fulfil its political agenda.
The BJP with its “destructive politics” is trying to make a backdoor entry into the hearts of the people under the garb of espousing corruption, which is a “laughable matter.”
Kumar said the UPA had remained steadfast in its fight against corruption and the resignation of Maharastra chief minister Ashok Chavan, arrests of former sports administrator Suresh Kalmadi, former minister A Raja and the sitting DMK MP Kanimozhi stand testimony to it. He advised the State Congress leaders and workers to go to the people and make them aware of the situation.
Kumar said his personal opinion was that high constitutional functionalities like the prime minister, judiciary, vice-president, president and the Speaker should not be brought under the ambit of the Lokpal. He added that the draft Bill will be ready by August.
