Lucknow/Vadodara/ New Delhi, April 26
An FIR was lodged against yoga guru Ramdev today over his remark at a programme in Lucknow yesterday that Rahul Gandhi visited Dalit homes "for honeymoon and picnic".

As a massive outrage erupted today over his controversial comment, Ramdev expressed regret to the Dalit community. The BJP came out in defence of the yoga guru saying he is a "saint" whose words should be viewed in the context in which they were made and not as per the perception of Congress leaders.

The Congress termed the remarks "shameful" and demanded an unconditional apology from him as also Narendra Modi alleging the yoga guru is part of his coterie. Ramdev, who was in Vadodara to attend a yoga camp, however, insisted the Congress vice-president visited homes of the poor for "publicity stunts, picnic or tourism". "The statement I made has been misrepresented. The term honeymoon period is over is commonly used in political language. I tried to use it in that sense," Ramdev claimed. "I had no intention to insult honourable Rahul Gandhi or the Dalit community. But this is also true that Rahul Gandhi goes to houses of the poor and uses that opportunity as publicity stunt, picnic or tourism," he said.

He added, "I express regret if the use of that term has hurt the feelings of any community, especially the Dalit community." Ramdev had said at a programme in Lucknow yesterday that Rahul Gandhi visited Dalit homes "for honeymoon and picnic".

"He goes to Dalits' house for honeymoon and picnic. Had he married a Dalit girl, then his luck could have clicked and he would have become the Prime Minister," Ramdev had said. In Lucknow, an FIR was lodged against Ramdev at Mahanagar police station under Section of 171(g) (false statement in connection with an election) of the IPC, Additional Superintendent of Police Habibul Hassan said.

The FIR was lodged by the police after analysing the video footage of Ramdev's statement. Reacting sharply, Finance Minister P Chidambaram described "it is a shameful and despicable statement" by Ramdev.

In an apparent attack on the BJP, he said, "I am ashamed that somebody can make a statement like this and still a political party can embrace it."

The party fielded Dalit leaders Kumari Selja and Krishna Tirath to attack Ramdev at their press briefing, with Selja stating that the remarks by the yoga guru reflected a "perverse" mindset that has no regard and respect for Dalit women and views them only as a "commodity".

"We strongly deplore his remarks and demand an unconditional apology both from him and Modi," she said.

Chairperson of All-India Mahila Congress Sobha Oza, who sought to highlight Ramdev's alleged close association with Modi, said Ramdev was one of the "nine jewels" of Modi and "is the most important figure in his coterie". "He makes such remarks and Modi stays silent. So it seems that Modi endorses his remarks. He should answer to the country whether he endorses such remarks. If no, then he should apologise to the Dalits, along with Ramdev," Oza said. Selja said the BJP makes good use of Ramdev to garner votes and slammed the party's defence of the yoga guru.

"Does the BJP support him? They should answer it...We say that he, along with BJP, should give an unconditional apology and Narendra Modi himself should apologise," she said.

The statement I made has been misrepresented. The term honeymoon period is over is commonly used in political language. I tried to use it in that sense. I had no intention to insult Rahul Gandhi or the Dalit community.
—Ramdev, yoga guru