New Delhi:  There was ruckus at a press conference organised by Baba Ramdev in New Delhi today after a man threw black ink at the yoga guru. The attack reportedly left his left eye blackened.

The attacker has been identified as Kamran Siddiqui, a resident of Delhi who is said to be running an NGO named ‘Real Cause’. He has been detained by police. Following his attempt, the attacker was beaten up by Baba Ramdev’s supporters. His aides claim he had gained entry into the hall posing as a security personnel.

At the press conference, the yoga guru was talking to reporters about his plans to campaign against black money holders in the upcoming Assembly elections. The presser was being held at the Constitutional Club in New Delhi, where he was seated along with Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy.

Trying to put up a brave front, the yoga guru said he was not deterred by such attacks and would continue his campaign against corruption with full force, “I spoke about bringing back black money to the country and giving it to the nation. I spoke about eradicating corruption. I spoke about turning a ‘loot-tantra’ to a real lok-tantra (democracy). And in return, as a prize this is what I have got. I don’t mind receiving black ink. I was also shown black flags. I did not care even then. By throwing ink on someone, one cannot malign his character,” he said.

Before the incident, Siddiqui had reportedly sought Baba Ramdev’s opinion on the 2008 Batla House encounter in which suspects of the Delhi serial blasts were killed. The yoga guru had ignored the question and soon after the attack took place. Siddiqui is a petitioner in the Batla House encounter case.

Baba Ramdev’s supporters had reportedly initially blamed the Congress for the attack. Reacting to the incident, Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh said he condemned it, but added that to him, it “seems like a conspiracy to create sympathy for Baba Ramdev.”

“We are very disappointed at the initial remark. I don’t think he seems to have benefitted from his yoga teachings at all. How are we concerned? I feel bad that something like that happened to him. In a democracy, it’s unfortunate…but it is worse that he blames us because we have no connection with any of this behaviour. If this is what he preaches, then it is very unfortunate,” added Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhary