HomeNewsTrendsCurrent AffairsPolice frees Baba Ramdev, refuses to leave Ambedkar Stadium

Police frees Baba Ramdev, refuses to leave Ambedkar Stadium

The Delhi Police have freed Baba Ramdev and his supporters. However, the yoga guru has refused to leave Ambedkar Stadium, saying he will not end his fast today.

August 14, 2012 / 09:25 IST

7.51 pm: Addressing his supporters at the Ambedkar Stadium, Baba Ramdev demanded that the government must provide food and water to everyone inside the stadium as it was a temporary jail.

The yoga guru accused the government of spending money on "terrorists lodged in jail".

He further said that several parties such as the NDA, including the BJP, and the TDP supported his campaign, adding that Tibetan spiritual guru Dalai Lama was also supporting him.

7.40 pm: The Delhi Police have freed Baba Ramdev and his supporters. However, the yoga guru has refused to leave Ambedkar Stadium, saying he will not end his fast today.

The yoga guru, who has been campaigning against black money, also asked the government to provide food to his supporters gathered at the Ambedkar Stadium.

6.30 pm: The supporters of Baba Ramdev, who has been detained, have gathered inside the Ambedkar stadium in support of the yoga guru.

6:25 pm: The Delhi Police have issued an advisory for commuters to avoid ITO, Indraprastha Marg, Tilak Marg, Sikandara Marg, Delhi Gate, Jawharlal Nehru Marg due to the agitation by Baba Ramdev and his supporters. They have asked the commuters to use the Bhairon Singh Marg and the Ring Road instead.

5:55 pm: Baba Ramdev has been taken to Ambedkar Stadium near ITO by Delhi Police after he refused to be taken to the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Bawana.

5:30 pm: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has climbed on top of the bus in which he was being taken to Bawana following his detention by Delhi Police. Ramdev and his supporters have forced the police to stop the bus at ITO in Delhi, resulting in massive traffic jams in the area. Traffic jams have also been reported from Daryaganj and Vikas Marg.

Ramdev has asked the police to shift the temporary jail from Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Bawana to Feroz Shah Kotla Cricket Stadium near ITO.

3:30 pm: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has said that his detention won't deter him from fighting against corruption. "They can only arrest me, they can't stop me from fighting against corruption," Ramdev said.

1:55 pm: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has been taken into preventive custody for violating Section-144 near the Ranjit Singh flyover, during his march to Parliament. Ramdev, along with his supporters, will be taken to the Rajiv Gandhi stadium in Bawana.

Meanwhile, UPA ally Samajwadi Party said it will support anybody who fights for the cause. "Our party is against black money. Whoever talks about bringing back black money, we will support (him)," SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav told reporters.

1:45 pm: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev's march to Parliament has been stopped by the Delhi Police.

1:40 pm: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev's supporters have been taken into preventive custody during their march towards Parliament. They will be taken to the Rajiv Gandhi stadium in Bawana.

1:00 pm: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev started his march towards Parliament and asked his supporters to follow. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has officially denied permission for the march to Parliament.

Threatening to court arrest, Ramdev said that the march won't break any law and order. While supporters walked, Ramdev sat on top of a car as the cavalcade started moving towards Parliament.

Police sources say Ramdev's supporters will not be allowed to cross the Ranjeet Singh flyover. A temporary jail has been set up at the Rajiv Gandhi stadium.

The government sources said the policy of silence continues. Sources say several cases are pending against Ramdev and so, the government cannot negotiate with him.

12:20 pm: Bharatiya Janata Party President Nitin Gadkari defended Baba Ramdev's close aide Balkrishna, who is in jail in connection with a fake passport case. Speaking at the Ramlila Maidan, Gadkari said, " People like Balkrishna who talk about black money are put in jail."

"This government is harassing and arresting people with the help of CBI. The government is blackmailing Ramdev and his aides by using CBI. We have also raised the issue of Ramdev's fast in Parliament," Gadkari added.

12:05 pm: JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav slammed the Olympics while speaking at the Ramlila Maidan. "Olympics is a sporting event for the slaves," he said.

Meanwhile, NCP chief Sharad Pawar will not join Ramdev's protest. Ramdev had said that he had spoken to Pawar and had invited him to join his protest.

11:35 am: BJP President Nitin Gadkari and JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav reached Ramlila Maidan and joined yoga guru Baba Ramdev on stage.

10:50 am: BJP President Nitin Gadkari and JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav are likely to go to Ramlila Maidan to join yoga guru Baba Ramdev.

10:40 am: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev made a call at the Ramlila Maidan to boycott the Congress party. "We are not going to sit silently. The activists will educate the country about this movement. The Congress party should be boycotted," Ramdev said.

"It's become mandatory for the government to insult us, act badly. They can remove one Ramdev, but what about the others." he added.

10:30 am: Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy joined Ramdev at the Ramlila Maidan and shared the stage with him.

10:19 am: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has asked his supporters to march towards Parliament and has said he will protest outside Parliament now. Addressing his supporters at the Ramlila Maidan, Ramdev said, "We will sit on dharna outside Parliament. We don't have any political agenda. Our agitation will continue to be non-violent."

Ramdev dared the government and said, "It has been decided that those responsible for corruption must be taught a lesson. The first call for uprising has gone out - Congress hatao, desh bachao (Remove the Congress, save the nation)."

10:00 am: Ramdev supporters will be detained and taken to the outskirts of Delhi in buses if they try to move out of the Ramlila Maidan for 'jail bharo' (fill the jails), according to sources.

8:40 am: Following Ramdev's call for 'jail bharo' (fill the jails), the police are tight-lipped about their plan of action. Sources have ruled out any massive crackdown. The security in the national capital is also tight due to the Independence Day.

8:15 am: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev, who has threatened to launch phase 2 of his anti-corruption movement, has asked his supporters to pack their bags and get ready to go to jail. He will speak again at 10 am and tell his supporters where to march. Following this, security has been increased across Delhi.

With government ignoring his ultimatum, yoga guru Ramdev is set to announce his next plan of action on Monday. Ramdev has threatened to launch phase two of his anti-corruption movement if the government does not agree to his demands.

Earlier, Ramdev on Sunday targeted the Congress asking people to vote out parties which do not support his demands on black money and corruption and hinted at a 'jail bharo' agitation.

He did not announce the next course of action on the fourth day of his fast on Sunday as declared earlier and deferred it till Monday but said his "fast will end in jail" while asking his supporters whether they were ready to go to prisons for the "big revolution starting from Monday".

As his deadline till Sunday evening after shooting off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expired, Ramdev took on the Congress alleging that the ruling party may be shying away from action as the black money stashed abroad may be that of its leaders and people close to it.

"What is the danger that Congress perceives in bringing back black money or declaring it national asset, if they do not own it?" he asked.

"We will now go from village to village telling them, may be Congress people own this black money and so they do not want to declare it national asset. No, it is not that we feel so, they have proved it by not taking action," he said.

Ramdev also alleged that Congress was not enacting Lokpal bill because it fears that 90 per cent of its ministers will land in jail if a strong anti-corruption law is in place.

He said people will have to vote for those parties which support their demands and not elect those who do not support them.

Though he was to announce his plans on Sunday evening, Ramdev has been extending his deadline and deferring announcement of his next course of action. He said that he will announce his strategy this morning but he again deferred it for Monday.

The day saw former Army Chief VK Singh and erstwhile Team Anna member Kiran Bedi extending support to him by joining his protest.

"We are not digging the grave of Congress. They are doing it by themselves. We will tell whom to vote and whom not to vote in 2014 elections. This job has to be done in a tactical way," he said.

"May be we may not have to wait till 2014 as they may go in 2013 itself.... We also know who should be defeated in the next elections..., Time will tell who will remain in power," Ramdev said, adding the "rituals of death" of this government will start from Monday.

He said Congress came up with slogan 'Garibi Hatao' (remove poverty) but they ended up increasing poverty and removing poor people from the country.

Defending his attack on Congress, Ramdev said the party is responsible for what happened to the country as it was in power for a long period and cannot escape responsibility.

He said some people have asked him not to go on protest and go for a compromise.

"I told them we will not compromise on our ideology and ethics...," he said, adding people in power have become "deaf" to the cries of the common man.

Earlier on Sunday, Ramdev said he was ready to continue his fast till a decision on his demands was taken. "The fast will not end today. When it will end, I will tell you tomorrow," he said.

Ramdev also targeted the Prime Minister saying he has to show political honesty and political will on the matter.

He alleged that Singh did not honour the promise on declaring black money a national asset or taking steps to bring back black money stashed away abroad.

"When UPA came to power, the Prime Minister promised that black money will be brought back in 100 days. Many such 100 days have gone by but black money is still stashed in tax havens abroad," he claimed.

"You are being hailed as an honest person. We don't doubt your personal honesty. But you will have to show political honesty and political duty. If you do not do your duty, then there will be a question mark on your political honesty," Ramdev said.

Political leaders also made their first appearance at Ramdev's protest pledging support to his demands on black money and corruption.

BJD's Rajya MP Rabi Mahapatra and independent MP Inder Singh Namdhari came to the venue at Ramlila Maidan on Sunday evening.

Besides Mahapatra and Namdhari, a statement issued by Ramdev's team said TDP MPs CM Ramesh and Konakalla Narayana and BR Ambedkar's grandson Prakash Ambedkar had pledged support to his cause.

"Many big leaders are likely to come to Ramlila Maidan tomorrow. This is being taken as beginning of political polarisation," the statement claimed.

(With additional inputs from PTI)

first published: Aug 13, 2012 08:40 pm

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