Baba Ramdev: Talks with government to curb black money and corruption fail, Ramdev to begin fast today
The talks between the government and Baba Ramdev over his demand for immediate steps to curb black money and corruption failed on Friday, setting the stage for the yoga guru to kick off his indefinite hunger strike at the Ram Lila grounds here on Saturday. Union ministers Kapil Sibal and Subodh Kant Sahay, who shares a good rapport with the guru, met him for about five hours at a plush hotel in the heart of the city on Friday afternoon. The discussions, however, failed to yield any positive outcome.
“There is no breakthrough. The satyagraha will continue,” Baba Ramdev told newspersons after the meeting. The negotiations, it seems, were stuck on Baba Ramdev’s demands for the promulgation of an ordinance to bring back black money, de-classification of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, and enacting a law seeking capital punishment for those found guilty of corruption. The talks were expected to continue even after the commencement of the dharna.
Before leaving the venue for holding discussions with the government’s emissaries, Baba Ramdev had told newspersons that barring one or two issues, the two sides had arrived at a consensus on most of his wish list. The government is hoping that he would come on board very soon. “We had constructive dialogue on several issues and the government has addressed all the issues the Baba has raised in writing. Most of these issues are of national concern and the government is already seized of many of them,” HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said.
“We have said these issues cannot be resolved today, in a day, as these have longterm implications. We have responded positively to his suggestions and the Swamiji will do what is right,” Sibal said. The two sides, according to him, discussed black money, corruption, the Lokpal bill , special courts to try graft cases, agricultural land acquisition and use of Hindi in medical and other professional courses. After the talks with Baba Ramdev, Sibal briefed first the prime minister and then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
The prime minister had earlier in the evening apprised President Pratibha Patil about the progress made in the talks with Baba Ramdev, besides his visit to Ethiopia and Tanzania.
Before leaving for the hotel to re-commence talks with the yoga guru, the finance minister, Home Minister P Chidambaram and some of their colleagues held consultations to prepare a draft for the meeting. That the government was serious about its efforts to persuade Baba Ramdev to cancel his proposed dharna was evident when the finance minister was forced to drop his plan to visit Kolkata, while Law Minister Veerappa Moily had to cancel his scheduled trip to Mangalore.
Earlier in the day, the yoga guru, while addressing his followers at the Ram Lila grounds, had dropped strong hints of an impending breakthrough. “Barring one or two issues, a consensus seems to be emerging between us and the government,” he said.
Claiming that his agitation was neither “politically motivated or communal” nor did he have any “underground agenda” as was being portrayed by some sections, Baba Ramdev said his campaign was being waged in “national interest”.
“Our agitation is not against any political party or individual. We are neutral, not being sponsored by any party or organisation and people from all castes and religions are joining us. We appeal to all parties to join us. We are erecting a special stage where representatives from all parties can come to put forth their point of view,” he said.
In an apparent reference to claims that his movement is aimed at undermining Gandhian Anna Hazare’s agitation on the same issue, the yoga guru said, “We do not want to show anyone as inferior or defeat anybody.”
Baba Ramdev claimed his movement was aimed at bringing back the alleged Rs 400-lakh crore black money stashed overseas and change the corrupt system.
The fight against corruption will not be easy as those who benefit from graft are powerful, the guru said, adding “I am ready to fast for not only three days but for 30 days as we are doing it for the starving people in the country”.
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