Haridwar, June 5
Angry at the disruption of his hunger strike, Baba Ramdev today lashed out at the government and targeted Sonia Gandhi over the “police barbarism” on his supporters while threatening a nationwide agitation. Ramdev, who was flown from New Delhi to Jollygrant airport in a special aircraft this morning, came back to his Patanjali Yog Peeth at 11.30 am. He was received by senior police officials at the airport and then traveled towards Haridwar in a car. He was alone when he alighted from the special aircraft.

Baba Ramdev during a press conference in Haridwar on Sunday. — PTI

Later talking to mediapersons at his Patanjali Yog Peeth, Ramdev said no amount of coercion would deter him from abandoning his anti-corruption campaign. He said he would resume his agitation against corruption here tomorrow after he was denied permission to enter UP to continue his protest.

For the first time since Ramdev took “sanyas” he wore a different outfit, which was a feminine white “salwar-kameez”, which according to him was worn to escape from the police’s brutality, who wanted to kill him. This appearance was shocking for hundreds of his supporters who saw him getting out of his car at Patanjali Yog Peeth. He looked shocked and dejected.

Ramdev questioned Sonia Gandhi’s credentials terming her as the “remote control” by which the Centre has been operating indirectly charging her for being allegedly involved in what transpired at the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi last night. Reasoning the disguise, Ramdev said, “I gauged on last night that the Centre had connived to kill me but I didn’t want to die before leaving my mission accomplished. Had I not disguised, the police would have killed me. Be it children, old or women, the police brutally lathicharged and used tear gas on them reminding of the Jalianwala Bagh episode.”

Adamant on continuing with his campaign, he said the three issues, namely bringing back black money from foreign banks, war against corruption and change in the administrative-political system would be the core issues on which the second phase of his “satyagraha” would be focused. Talking on Union Minister Kapil Sibal, Ramdev termed him as one who betrayed not only him but also the millions of people across the country who pinned hope on him to be a bridge between them and the government. He announced that he would not hold any talks with him at any point of time in future.

Ramdev also refuted the claims that his agitation is pro-BJP-RSS citing the support letters and telephonic calls that he has with leaders of various political parties like Chandrababu Naidu, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Ashok Singhal and religious gurus of all sects.