Gandhi family didn't want Modi, Shah to stay alive, alleges Baba Ramdev; faces criticism

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has alleged that Congress’ Interim President Sonia Gandhi and her family did not want to see Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah alive when the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was in power, reports suggest.

The comment was made by Ramdev while addressing a gathering at a college in Noida, Uttar Pradesh on September 24. Ramdev said: “What Sonia Gandhi said about them (Modi-Shah) is public knowledge. This much is clear that the (Gandhi) family did not want to see these two (Modi-Shah) alive.”

“Had Modi and Shah kept on working with vengeance today, Sonia and Rahul would have been somewhere else,” Ramdev reportedly said.

He also claimed that former union minister P Chidambaram had conspired to put Shah in jail and was planning to send Modi to gallows.

"P Chidambaram had once put Amit Shah in jail through a conspiracy, he had never thought that Shah would be able to trouble or disrespect him. They thought Shah will rot in jail and Modi will be sent to the gallows," he reportedly said.

The yoga guru added that Chidambaram was paying for his "deeds" because he "broke" the law. The former finance minister, who was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the INX Media case, is currently lodged in Tihar Jail under judicial custody till October 3.

Ramdev’s remark has also drawn criticism from the Communist Party of India (CPI). CPI General Secretary D Raja slammed Ramdev for accusing the Congress of “conspiring against” PM Modi and Shah, according to a report by news agency ANI.

Raja also said that Ramdev must produce evidence and file complaints in this regard, if he has credible information.

“How come he knows that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi do not want to see Narendra Modi and Amit Shah alive?” Raja questioned.

“If he has any evidence then he should produce it. Instead of that, he is making such allegations in public,” Raja said, adding that “If he has any credible information then he should go to the police station and file a complaint.”