Haridwar:  Baba Ramdev began Tuesday in a more forgiving state of mind than he has been ever since the government dismantled his camp in Delhi late on Saturday night. The yoga icon, who has been furious over the last two days, struck a more benign note when he said he “forgave” the Prime Minister and his government.
He made clear, however, that the “forgiveness” was at a personal level. “I forgive the PM and government for atrocities and wrongs done to me…but for destroying democracy, the nation will have to decide.”
With the latter political statement, the Baba also added that he was once again “open to talking to the government, if they approach us.”
The Baba’s new forgiving avatar has made an appearance at a time when the warfare between the government and Baba Ramdev has been poised to enter a take-no-prisoners phase. He now also faces heat from the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax department, which are studying the financial records of nearly 200 companies that are owned by the Baba’s trust.
Yesterday, Ramdev had announced that he was resuming his indefinite hunger strike against corruption and then attacked the government for the umpteenth time for dismantling his Delhi camp where 65,000 people had gathered before they were lathicharged and tear gassed by the Delhi Police.
The Baba himself was evicted and then flown back to his headquarters in Hardwar on the government’s orders.
In Delhi on Monday, the Supreme Court asked the government to explain its action – at a characteristically lengthy speech in Uttarakhand, the Baba said he was grateful for the court’s intervention.
He also said yesterday that he rejected the Delhi Police’s version of events. “The Delhi Police is lying. They beat up people. They said that people were injured in a stampede. None of our workers provoked violence.” He also said “the Mahatma would be crying” about the government’s treatment of the women and children who he claims were attacked on Saturday night.
The government has banned the Baba from entering Delhi for the next 15 days. While the yoga teacher is accustomed to whipping up crowds that run into thousands, he now faces the unique problem of where to set up a new base camp for his “satyagraha against corruption.”  He was hoping to bring his movement to Noida in Uttar Pradesh -but Chief Minister Mayawati has rejected that proposal on the grounds that it could lead to a law and order problem.
The government’s action against Baba Ramdev has provided the Opposition – in particular the BJP – with a huge new rallying point. Various leaders – including the government’s standard emergency contact Mulayam Singh Yadav- have attacked the government for its attempt to “murder democracy.”
Some have also questioned the government for striking a secret deal with the Baba before his fast began – and not disclosing this to the public. The Baba’s critics have also raised this point. On Friday evening, after a five-hour discussion, senior ministers Kapil Sibal and Subodhkant Sahay allegedly struck an agreement with the Baba. They agreed to most of his conditions and the need to urgently recover black money and declare it a national asset; he said he’d call off his fast early on Saturday evening.
But when the deadline approached, it became clear that the Baba had no intention of ending his strike. Mr Sibal released a pact signed by the Baba’s deputy which committed to a brief hunger strike. The government’s intent was to prove the Baba was reneging on his deal. An aide of the Baba, Devendra Sharma, however, told NDTV that the letter was used as a tactical move to ensure that the government did not force the Baba to cancel his camp.