From: Habib Yousafzai <yousafzai49@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Jun 6, 2011 at 7:42 AM
Subject: [bangla-vision] Ramdev evicted from Delhi, drama turns political Yoga guru bundled into a police van, flown to Haridwar,barred from entering Capital for a fortnight ,over 100 injured, claim supporters
In a high-octane midnight drama, police today cracked down on Ramdev and thousands of his supporters forcibly shutting their hunger strike against black money, triggering a political war between the government and the Sangh Parivar, including BJP.
The 46-year-old Ramdev, who sought to escape disguised as a woman and was served with an externment order that barred him from entering into the capital for a fortnight, was bundled into a police van before dawn and flown to Haridwar in a small plane, hours after both sides blamed each other of betrayal.
A heavy contingent of Delhi police personnel, including the Rapid Action Force, descended on the fast site a little after 1 am and fired teargas shells and resorted to lathicharge when they met with resistance from the followers of Ramdev who had just completed a day's fast demanding measures to repatriate black money stashed abroad.
The yoga guru, who was met by a high-power delegation of ministers led by Pranab Mukherjee on June one at the Delhi airport, vowed to continue his fast-unto-death and threatened to re-enter the capital in the night. It was a nightmare for thousands of followers of Ramdev, who had come from all parts of the country to join his 'satyagrah' against corruption.
The yoga guru and his followers were in a restive mood well past midnight. They were taken by surprise when police personnel entered the ground and started dispersing the crowd with batons and teargas.
Ramdev's supporters claimed that over 100 persons were injured in the pandemonium, including women and children, who were admitted to a nearby hospital. Police, however, disputed the claim, saying 39 persons had suffered injuries.
Ramdev later claimed that he, too, was manhandled by the police as cops tried to strangulate him while arresting him.
He was physically lifted and carried away, which further agitated his supporters. "It could have been a big massacre similar to Jalianwalla Bagh had I not appealed to my supporters to calm down," said Baba in a press conference done in his Pantanjali Yogpeeth Haridwar afterwards.
During the ruckus that went for around two hours clashes erupted between security personnel and Ramdev supporters, some of whom armed themselves with iron rods and fire extinguishers. To defend themselves, many of Ramdev's followers hurled stones at police, to which the security forces hit back forcefully.
Within two hours of the operation, the Ramlila ground was in a shambles and looked like a war zone. In the morning it wore a deserted look with scattered, unclaimed articles lying around. The midnight police action came just about 14 hours after Ramdev went on his indefinite fast after his talks with senior government ministers failed.
The police action drew sharp criticism from civil society members and opposition parties. The police, however, justified the action, contending that he was allowed to use the Ramlila ground for the yoga camp and not for protests.
"We will appeal to the Chief Justice of India to order an inquiry into the police brutality," said Jai Kishan Roy from Tamil Nadu, who was among Baba's supporters injured in the incident. (With inputs from PTI)
--
Palash Biswas
Pl Read:
http://nandigramunited-banga.blogspot.com/
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