Ravi Shankar meets Ramdev, appeals to end fast

Fast against graft:

Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Saturday met Baba Ramdev and appealed to him to end his eight-day fast even as the health condition of the yoga guru showed signs of improvement.

The Art of Living founder, however, made it clear that the Centre had not asked him to negotiate with 46-year-old Ramdev for ending his fast against black money and corruption.

“If government wants, I am ready to do anything... whatever the nation needs,” he told reporters after meeting Ramdev at the Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences for about an hour here.

Ramdev, who was admitted to the Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences on Friday evening after his condition deteriorated on the seventh day of his fast was administered saline and glucose.

“Ramdev’s blood pressure and pulse rate went down on Friday night. But, they have been brought under control. He is stable,” Dr Deepak Goel, part of the medical team that is monitoring Ramdev’s health, told reporters. He said Ramdev “was weak and has some problems in sitting and speaking.”

A medical bulletin issued by the hospital said the pulse rate and blood pressure were stabilising slowly and there was an improvement in the health condition of Ramdev.
Dr S L Jethani, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, said Ramdev’s liver and kidneys were functioning normally.

Asked whether there was a need to shift Ramdev to AIIMS in New Delhi, Goel said there was no need for that.

A Patanjali Yogpeeth spokesperson said Kalam called up Ramdev and asked him to break his fast.

In a statement, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, “I prayerfully appeal to Baba Ramdev to call off his fast soon and rejoin his movement for national regeneration.”