Baba Ramdev said he will begin his planned hunger strike against corruption and black money from June 4.
NEW DELHI: Congress on Wednesday distanced itself from the government's unprecedented step of sending four senior ministers to the airport to receive Baba Ramdev in a bid to persuade him not to go ahead with the protest from June 4 saying it was "unnecessary" and the party has "nothing to do" with it.
"The party is not at all related to this entire exercise from here to the airport (ministers going to the airport to receive the yoga guru)," top sources in Congress said commenting on the government's move, which indicated the unease in the party over the issue.
The sources also suggested that Congress president Sonia Gandhi was not in the loop over the decision. "The party has nothing to do with it. It is not involved in this airport exercise," they said.
Party general secretary Digvijay Singh said, "We are also interested in the issue of corruption and black money but hunger strike won't check corruption or help in bringing back black money. He (Baba Ramdev) should agree to the request made by the Prime Minister and other ministers."
Ramdev to go ahead with fast
Baba Ramdev on Wednesday said that he was not targeting any political party and his fast is against the menace of black money.
The yoga guru said his fast is against the system that breeds black money. He said that Rs 50 lakh crore has come to India from Mauritius. The government must name tax evaders and punish them, Ramdev added.
"The government must bring back black money stashed away," Baba Ramdev said.
Ramdev was addressing his supporters and mediapersons in New Delhi.
"I am with Anna Hazare in demanding a strong Lokpal Bill," Ramdev said.
Govt tries to placate yoga guru
Earlier in the day, worried over Baba Ramdev's plan to go on fast from June 4, the government took the unprecedented step of sending four senior ministers, including finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, to the airport for talks but he appeared not to relent on his plans.
In a bid to prevent a repeat of a situation that evolved when Anna Hazare-led civil society mounted a campaign against corruption in April, Mukherjee accompanied by HRD minister Kapil Sibal, parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and tourism minister Subodh Kant Sahay held talksat the airport with Ramdev who arrived by chartered jet from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh.
Cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekar was also along with the ministers.
Baba Ramdev, who earlier in the morning did a volte face on his Tuesday's statement that the Prime Minister and Chief Justice of India should be kept out of Lokpal's purview, told reporters after the meeting that the first round of talks has been positive and there will be further dialogue with the government.
"On June four there will be a satyagraha (protest fast) in Ramlila Maidan as well as in 624 districts across as crores of people want the country to be rid of black money, corruption and demand a change in system," he said.
To a question on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's appeal to him not to go ahead with his fast plans, he said "I do not believe in fear or creating fear. We have raised issues of national interest. This fight is not against any person and any party. So we are not criticising anybody."
The government virtually rolled the red carpet for the yoga guru whose campaign will demand repatriation of all black money stashed abroad and an ordinance is issued for means to bringing it back.
"The talks will continue with Baba Ramdev over the next couple of days. We discussed a number of issues of national significance. The dialogue was not limited to a couple of issues. Ramdev also raised a broad number of issues," Sibal told reporters after a nearly two and a half hours meeting between government ministers and Baba Ramdev.
Meanwhile, hectic preparations - including the erection of a huge tent to accommodate 20,000 people - were in progress at the Ramlila grounds for Saturday's fast.
"The party is not at all related to this entire exercise from here to the airport (ministers going to the airport to receive the yoga guru)," top sources in Congress said commenting on the government's move, which indicated the unease in the party over the issue.
The sources also suggested that Congress president Sonia Gandhi was not in the loop over the decision. "The party has nothing to do with it. It is not involved in this airport exercise," they said.
Party general secretary Digvijay Singh said, "We are also interested in the issue of corruption and black money but hunger strike won't check corruption or help in bringing back black money. He (Baba Ramdev) should agree to the request made by the Prime Minister and other ministers."
Ramdev to go ahead with fast
Baba Ramdev on Wednesday said that he was not targeting any political party and his fast is against the menace of black money.
The yoga guru said his fast is against the system that breeds black money. He said that Rs 50 lakh crore has come to India from Mauritius. The government must name tax evaders and punish them, Ramdev added.
"The government must bring back black money stashed away," Baba Ramdev said.
Ramdev was addressing his supporters and mediapersons in New Delhi.
"I am with Anna Hazare in demanding a strong Lokpal Bill," Ramdev said.
Govt tries to placate yoga guru
Earlier in the day, worried over Baba Ramdev's plan to go on fast from June 4, the government took the unprecedented step of sending four senior ministers, including finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, to the airport for talks but he appeared not to relent on his plans.
In a bid to prevent a repeat of a situation that evolved when Anna Hazare-led civil society mounted a campaign against corruption in April, Mukherjee accompanied by HRD minister Kapil Sibal, parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and tourism minister Subodh Kant Sahay held talksat the airport with Ramdev who arrived by chartered jet from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh.
Cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekar was also along with the ministers.
Baba Ramdev, who earlier in the morning did a volte face on his Tuesday's statement that the Prime Minister and Chief Justice of India should be kept out of Lokpal's purview, told reporters after the meeting that the first round of talks has been positive and there will be further dialogue with the government.
"On June four there will be a satyagraha (protest fast) in Ramlila Maidan as well as in 624 districts across as crores of people want the country to be rid of black money, corruption and demand a change in system," he said.
To a question on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's appeal to him not to go ahead with his fast plans, he said "I do not believe in fear or creating fear. We have raised issues of national interest. This fight is not against any person and any party. So we are not criticising anybody."
The government virtually rolled the red carpet for the yoga guru whose campaign will demand repatriation of all black money stashed abroad and an ordinance is issued for means to bringing it back.
"The talks will continue with Baba Ramdev over the next couple of days. We discussed a number of issues of national significance. The dialogue was not limited to a couple of issues. Ramdev also raised a broad number of issues," Sibal told reporters after a nearly two and a half hours meeting between government ministers and Baba Ramdev.
Meanwhile, hectic preparations - including the erection of a huge tent to accommodate 20,000 people - were in progress at the Ramlila grounds for Saturday's fast.
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