New Delhi:
After his meeting with BJP president Nitin Gadkari, yoga icon
Baba Ramdev on Tuesday took his campaign against black money and corruption to a key member of the UPA coalition, Sharad Pawar. Unlike Mr Gadkari, the Agriculture Minister did not touch Baba Ramdev's feet, but a somewhat awkward hug was shared, initiated by the Baba.
"Baba Ramdev has worked for the betterment of people across the country. Now he has taken a new thing in his hands - the property in the country that has been hidden. If black money is recovered then this money will benefit all poor people. Whatever Baba Ramdev has suggested is good", said Mr Pawar, whose party the NCP partners with the Congress in Maharashtra and the Centre.
Last year, the government had cracked down on a huge yoga-cum-protest camp held in Delhi by
Baba Ramdev. At midnight, the police lathi-charged the crowd to force it to disperse. The Supreme Court later ruled that the police and the Baba were equally to blame for the chaos that ensued.
The Centre had turned on
Baba Ramdev after they reportedly struck a private deal. He would stage a token protest at the Delhi camp if they committed to promulgating an anti-black money law.
Recently, Baba Ramdev's charitable trusts had been investigated for income tax violations and money laundering. His spokespersons have said the government is framing the Baba to punish him for challenging the powerful.
Hence, Mr Pawar's generous endorsement of the yoga guru will no doubt create some discomfort, something that the Congress isn't showing yet.
"As far as I see, I mean Baba Ramdev or anybody for that matter wants to go and meet minister or some political leader, I mean it is for the political leader to decide whether he wants to meet someone or not. And in his own wisdom, Sharad
ji decided to meet him and there was nothing wrong in meeting him. I mean listening to what they want and they are expressing their views. I mean this is a democratic country where everybody can come and meet the political leaders and tell them what they feel about, "said Congress leader Satyavrat Chaturvedi.
Mr Ramdev, though, said that his campaign was apolitical, adding that he had sought an appointment with Congress president Sonia Gandhi to buttress his point.
"Like we are meeting all political parties, we met Mr Sharad Pawar also. We spoke to him in length about black money and he agreed on the issues addressed. It is a historic start that there is consensus in the country on the issue of black money and corruption. The issue is not of the UPA or the NDA, this is about black money," the yoga guru said.
Mr Pawar too was quick to say that there was no case for reading between the lines as far as his meeting with Mr Ramdev was concerned.
"I don't think any political meanings should be derived from our meetings. Ramdev has himself said he is meeting politicians of all hues... and the positive thing is that he himself said that he will meet Sonia Gandhi, he will meet Badal, he will meet Mulayam Singhji; he already met Gadkari," Mr Pawar said.
The politically-charged hug is also bound to cause some heartburn in the Anna Hazare camp. The Baba is partnering - not entirely seamlessly - with Mr Hazare and his team of anti-corruption activists. They shared a rally on Sunday and will address two more public gatherings together in the next few weeks. Mr Hazare, who is from Mahararashtra, has accused Mr Pawar of corruption. And last month, Team Anna included him along with the Prime Minister and Pranab Mukherjee on a list of senior ministers who they want investigated for graft.