Team Anna,Ramdev split wide open over naming PM,ministers

In his opening remarks,Ramdev termed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,who has been named among the 15 corrupt ministers by Team Anna,as honest but said he should top it with an honest Cabinet too.

Hazare and his team played second fiddle at the day-long fast that focused on seeking return of black money stashed abroad and passage of the Lokpal Bill. Posters of Ramdev,his aide Balkrishna and of Rajabala,who died after the police crackdown at Ramlila Maidan during Ramdev’s protest last year,occupied pride of place,while Hazare’s pictures were mostly towards the back. Hazare spent some five hours on the stage before he got a chance to speak.

Late in the evening,Ramdev issued a statement saying: “Hum shaleenta se aandolan ko aage badhana chahte hai (We wish to run the movement with dignity). We do not want to take names and divert attention from the issue.”

The only person to deal at length on black money — the issue of the day — was Ramdev himself,with a passing mention of the Lokpal thrown in. Adding to the discomfiture of Team Anna was a self-immolation attempt by a disgruntled “volunteer” in an Anna cap,who claimed he had been mistreated by Kejriwal. Later,the contractor from Bulandshahr claimed he wanted to pose questions to Hazare and Ramdev but had been stopped. It was Kejriwal who dwelt at length on the corruption charges Team Anna had brought against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his 14 ministers. Egging on the crowd,he said the CBI was used by the government mainly to acquire support from parties.

However,no sooner had he finished than Ramdev took the mike and said: “We had taken a decision not to name names today because names tend to create controversy and obfuscate the issue. However Arvind has already taken names,so I do not want to quarrel with him.”

Kejriwal left the stage,where he had been sitting for close to four hours,almost immediately. He later tweeted that he had sought the permission of Hazare and Ramdev to leave because of ill health. Ramdev repeated that and appealed that this should not be treated as a difference of opinion.

While Kejriwal too denied differences,his tweet made it clear that he believed he was in the right. “This is a political battle and we will have to name and shame and demand severe action against corrupt people. I will personally speak to Swami Ramdevji. I am sure I will be able to persuade him that naming is important,” he tweeted.

Hazare too appeared to defend Kejriwal,mentioning him in his speech. “Arvind has just said people with cases against them are sitting in Parliament… we must use right to reject,” he said,without elaborating.

He also refuted suggestions about a rift in Team Anna or any misunderstanding with Ramdev and said the movement’s strength had increased by associating with the yoga guru. “I was on a tour of 36 districts in Maharashtra. I left the tour and came as I had promised Ramdev that I would support him,” he said.

When he spoke at the end of the day’s protest,Ramdev reiterated his opposition to names,claiming that in 99 cases out of 100,he had been able to get his message across without getting personal. He trained his guns on the Congress without naming anyone,and then added: “See,I did not name anybody but I did make my point.”

From June 4 to August 8,Ramdev announced,volunteers would collect signatures on a memorandum to be submitted to the Prime Minister on the anniversary of the Quit India movement (August 9). He added that he would meet all politicians,including BJP president Nitin Gadkari,Mulayam,RJD chief Lalu Yadav and Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the matter.

Ramdev also voiced his support for the Naxal cause. “They are fighting for the right things,just that their way is not right,” he said.

The Hazare-Ramdev association has been a divisive one,particularly because of the yoga guru’s perceived saffron links.

Earlier,eulogy to Ramdev dominated the proceedings at the Parliament Street protest as his Patanjali Yogpeeth was glorified and the government vilified for the notices issued to it. References to Baba’s “prowess” were made,as well as claims that a return to traditional knowledge and ways of life were the route to lost glory. Ramdev was praised for having “forgiven” the government for the “mistreatment” of his followers in Ramlila Maidan.

Ramdev and Hazare began the day paying their tributes and meditating at the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. Ramdev and Balkrishna also went to Azad Hind Gram on Delhi outskirts to pay tributes to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

— With PTI inputs