Yoga guru Baba Ramdev is back at the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi where he will begin an indefinite fast, seeking that the government bring back money stashed away illegally in foreign bank accounts. However, given that Team Anna no longer stands and is going the political route, the yoga guru has decided to take up the issue of the Lokpal as well. He is also advocating an unspecified “change in the system”.
The Ramlila Maidan has multiple covered enclosures for the hundreds of supporters who will be joining the yoga guru and giant screens have been placed across the venue to allow them to see and listen to Ramdev while he’s on hunger strike.
This is Ramdev’s second fast at Ramlila Maidan. PTI
“We have no political ambitions, we have no political mission or political agenda. Our only mission is to save the country by bringing back black money,” Ramdev told reporters at Ahmedabad before leaving for Delhi on Wednesday.
The guru visited Rajghat and Shahidi Park in Delhi before making his journey to Ramlila Maidan.
Ramdev’s last rally at the Ramlila Maidan in June last year, ended abruptly when police stormed the venue of the fast at midnight, resulting in the death of one person.
Apart from illegal wealth the guru has a whole host of demands including the passing of the Lokpal Bill by Parliament, making the Central Bureau of Investigation independent and a making more transparent procedures for the appointment of Election Commissioners, CAG, CVC and the CBI Director.
While Ramdev has extended an invitation to all social activists and groups to join his protest, one-time ally Anna Hazare is not scheduled to attend the hunger strike. Hazare is presently in his hometown of Ralegan Siddhi after dissolving ‘Team Anna‘. Sources close to Hazare have said he is not well.
Social activist Arvind Kejriwal, who called off his hunger strike last week after promising to form a political party, had claimed that they were not invited to the yoga guru’s rally and has been non-committal about attending it.
Team Anna and Ramdev had held a joint rally at Jantar Mantar in June but had been following seperate paths after a difference in opinion.
