Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Monday denied reports of differences with Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal and said they were together in the fight against corruption and black money. “There is no difference with Team Anna,” Ramdev said.
Baba Ramdev’s alliance with Team Anna seemed to be on a shaky ground after Arvind Kejriwal stormed out of the fast venue on Sunday after Ramdev objected to Kejriwal naming MPs in his speech, which the yoga guru said was against the fast protocol.
Ramdev said the fight against graft was not against individuals. “Arvind Kejriwal should not have taken names. It could create controversy. Please don’t see it as a personal attack. This fight is not against any individual,” Ramdev said. Kejriwal in his speech had said that Parliament would never pass the Lokpal bill as long as MPs like Lalu Prasad, A Raja and Suresh Kalmadi were present.
Soon after Kejriwal, who was on fast along with Anna Hazare and the yoga guru, finished his speech, Ramdev took the microphone and said “today, we thought that we will not name anybody. But Arvind took the names”.
“We don’t want any controversies. Arvind does not have any enmity with anyone. The names have been taken in some context. We are against personal criticism”, he said. During his speech, Kejriwal had attacked Manmohan Singh and his Cabinet colleagues whom Team Anna had accused of indulging in corruption.
However, clearing his stand Kejriwal later, while speaking to reporters, said that he had to leave as he was unwell and he has the greatest respect for Ramdev.
No differences with Baba Ramdev: Kejriwal
Team Anna meeting in Noida near Delhi today to plan their campaign for the Lokpal Bill, the new legislation aimed at tackling corruption among government servants. But their strategy session is eclipsed by reports of rifts both within Team Anna, and with yoga icon Baba Ramdev, with whom they are collaborating for their movement against graft.
Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal denied before the session that he was upset with Baba Ramdev at a rally held in Delhi on Sunday.
