"I feel she is opposing the procedure...everybody has right to criticise," Ramdev said on Mamata Banerjee
Highlights
- Ramdev said that Mamata Banerjee agrees that black money will be affected
- He said that President Pranab Mukherjee had supported notes ban in 2012
- He said Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi agreed with him on cash ban in 2012
Speaking at the Infocomm 2016 conference in Kolkata, Yoga guru Baba Ramdev said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee might be criticising the government on the notes ban, but in her heart she thinks it's a "good thing".
"I feel she is opposing the procedure and criticising the government and this is a democracy and everybody has a right to criticise," Ramdev said, adding that he praises Ms Banerjee for leading a simple life.
"I sleep on the floor and she lives in a small hut. She wears a hawai chappal. No one suspects anything against her on her financial condition. She agrees that Naxal and terror funding has been hit and black money will be affected," the Yoga guru said.
Ramdev also said that President Pranab Mukherjee, Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi had supported the idea of withdrawing notes of higher denomination when he had discussed it with them during his protest against black money in New Delhi in 2012.
"I have a great relationship with Pranab Mukherjee even today. I had met him when I had launched a huge agitation against black money. I had met four cabinet ministers and he was one of them. At that time when I had spoken of demonetisation Pranab Mukherjee had agreed with me," he said.
Referring to Dr Manmohan Singh's speech on cash ban in the Rajya Sabha last month, Ramdev said that it was a historical moment as the reticent former Prime Minister had spoken up.
"At that time, even Manmohan Singh, who usually keeps quiet, spoke after a long time in Parliament...I went to him and he told me that you are right and demonetisation should happen. You can ask him. And I met Rahulji too and he said Babaji your point makes sense to me logically," Ramdev said.