01-06-2006, 06:55 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>CPM faces Ramdev's ire </b>
Pioneer News Service/ New Delhi
Protests against CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat's allegation that Baba Ramdev's Ayurvedic medicines were adulterated with human and animal tissue spilled over from UPA allies and the Opposition, on to the streets of Delhi, Kolkata and elsewhere. Â
Across the nation, hundreds of agitated Baba Ramdev supporters gave vent to their anger against Ms Karat by burning her effigies and raising slogans against the CPI(M). The spontaneous nature of the protest and growing political support for Baba Ramadev from non-Left parties have completely isolated Ms Karat. Her campaign Ramdev has boomeranged. The bearded guru is considered to have revolutionised the use of alternative medicine, yoga and pranayam as plausible cures for even the most dreaded ailment.
In Delhi, agitated supporters of Baba Ramdev assembled in front of the CPI(M) headquarters at AK Gopalan Bhavan and shouted anti-Left slogans. The crowd turned violent and pelted stones on the office building. Some protesters belonged to the Arya Samaj. Earlier, the demonstrators had sought permission from the local police to hold protests at Jantar Mantar but consequently, they became violent and started approaching the CPI (M) headquarters in Gole Market.
The police reached the spot and cordoned off the area within 15 minutes. "As a precautionary measure, we have detained 20 protestors who were aggravating the situation," said Manish Agarwal, additional deputy commissioner of police, New Delhi.
"They did not even spare us and threatened that they would come again with a larger strength to protest at the place," Asha Lata, general secretary, All India Democratic Women's Association, said.
Meanwhile, a close ally of the Left, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief and Railway Minister Lalu Yadav said, vested interests by multinational companies are trying to prevent the Swami from propagating the Indian system of medicine. The Uttaranchal unit of Congress and Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda refused to join the issue and preferred to wait for a detailed inquiry. The Vishva Hindu Parishad and the BJP have also came out in support of Baba Ramdev.
"Multinational companies are opposed to people like Ramdev and me. They are against those who propagate the indigenous cause," Lalu Yadav said. The Railway Minister preferred to wait for a detailed report before passing a verdict on the medicines. "Samples should be tested to reveal the truth. Even Ramdev is saying the same thing," he said.
There is nothing wrong with the medicine if it saves lives, whether is contains bones of "manav ya danav (human beings or devils)," the Railway Minister added.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda preferred to wait for the probe report before commenting on the issue. "Let us wait for the inquiry report to come," Munda said when his reaction was sought over the ongoing controversy.
The ruling Congress in Uttaranchal on Thursday said it would insist that the embattled yoga guru Ramdev should resolve the issue of retrenchment of employees belonging to his Divya Yog Pharmacy in Haridwar.
The labour issue snowballed into the present form, with Ms Karat alleging that Ramdev's medicines contained animal bones and human skull.
Party President Harish Rawat refused to be drawn into the war of words between CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat and Baba Ramdev.
The guru found supporters in the northeast as well where the BJP Assam unit accused Ms Karat of attempting to "demean" the culture and tradition of the country by attacking Swami Ramdev "at the behest of multinational companies (MNCs)."
BJP State unit spokesman Ashok Singhal in a statement charged Ms Karat of "bidding farewell to the ethics of politics and tradition, the Left parties having lost popularity was working against the country's interests."
The VHP slammed the CPI(M) for acting at the behest of multinational companies involved in the international conspiracy to defame and humiliate the yogiraj working to popularise Ayurveda.
People should oppose designs to defame the yogiraj who has popularised and revived the faith of crores of people in the traditional Indian method of treatment through Ayurveda, VHP media in-charge, Sharad Sharma, said in a statement.
"The world has come to understand that Ayurveda can match allopathy through the works of Swami Ramdev and the communists are trying to create hurdles in his growing popularity," Mr Sharma said.
Meanwhile, denying Ms Karat's allegation that animal parts and human bones were used in his Ayurvedic preparations, Baba Ramdev on Thursday reiterated his statement that multinational companies were behind the "baseless" campaign.
"Sixty per cent of the people, who follow my yoga lessons, have stopped consuming cold drinks manufactured by the MNCs. This has prompted them (the companies) to start this false campaign," he told reporters in Nasik on Wednesday evening.
Ramdev, who was in Nasik for his yoga camp beginning on Thursday, said "the baseless allegations have hurt the sentiments of the people."
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Pioneer News Service/ New Delhi
Protests against CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat's allegation that Baba Ramdev's Ayurvedic medicines were adulterated with human and animal tissue spilled over from UPA allies and the Opposition, on to the streets of Delhi, Kolkata and elsewhere. Â
Across the nation, hundreds of agitated Baba Ramdev supporters gave vent to their anger against Ms Karat by burning her effigies and raising slogans against the CPI(M). The spontaneous nature of the protest and growing political support for Baba Ramadev from non-Left parties have completely isolated Ms Karat. Her campaign Ramdev has boomeranged. The bearded guru is considered to have revolutionised the use of alternative medicine, yoga and pranayam as plausible cures for even the most dreaded ailment.
In Delhi, agitated supporters of Baba Ramdev assembled in front of the CPI(M) headquarters at AK Gopalan Bhavan and shouted anti-Left slogans. The crowd turned violent and pelted stones on the office building. Some protesters belonged to the Arya Samaj. Earlier, the demonstrators had sought permission from the local police to hold protests at Jantar Mantar but consequently, they became violent and started approaching the CPI (M) headquarters in Gole Market.
The police reached the spot and cordoned off the area within 15 minutes. "As a precautionary measure, we have detained 20 protestors who were aggravating the situation," said Manish Agarwal, additional deputy commissioner of police, New Delhi.
"They did not even spare us and threatened that they would come again with a larger strength to protest at the place," Asha Lata, general secretary, All India Democratic Women's Association, said.
Meanwhile, a close ally of the Left, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief and Railway Minister Lalu Yadav said, vested interests by multinational companies are trying to prevent the Swami from propagating the Indian system of medicine. The Uttaranchal unit of Congress and Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda refused to join the issue and preferred to wait for a detailed inquiry. The Vishva Hindu Parishad and the BJP have also came out in support of Baba Ramdev.
"Multinational companies are opposed to people like Ramdev and me. They are against those who propagate the indigenous cause," Lalu Yadav said. The Railway Minister preferred to wait for a detailed report before passing a verdict on the medicines. "Samples should be tested to reveal the truth. Even Ramdev is saying the same thing," he said.
There is nothing wrong with the medicine if it saves lives, whether is contains bones of "manav ya danav (human beings or devils)," the Railway Minister added.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda preferred to wait for the probe report before commenting on the issue. "Let us wait for the inquiry report to come," Munda said when his reaction was sought over the ongoing controversy.
The ruling Congress in Uttaranchal on Thursday said it would insist that the embattled yoga guru Ramdev should resolve the issue of retrenchment of employees belonging to his Divya Yog Pharmacy in Haridwar.
The labour issue snowballed into the present form, with Ms Karat alleging that Ramdev's medicines contained animal bones and human skull.
Party President Harish Rawat refused to be drawn into the war of words between CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat and Baba Ramdev.
The guru found supporters in the northeast as well where the BJP Assam unit accused Ms Karat of attempting to "demean" the culture and tradition of the country by attacking Swami Ramdev "at the behest of multinational companies (MNCs)."
BJP State unit spokesman Ashok Singhal in a statement charged Ms Karat of "bidding farewell to the ethics of politics and tradition, the Left parties having lost popularity was working against the country's interests."
The VHP slammed the CPI(M) for acting at the behest of multinational companies involved in the international conspiracy to defame and humiliate the yogiraj working to popularise Ayurveda.
People should oppose designs to defame the yogiraj who has popularised and revived the faith of crores of people in the traditional Indian method of treatment through Ayurveda, VHP media in-charge, Sharad Sharma, said in a statement.
"The world has come to understand that Ayurveda can match allopathy through the works of Swami Ramdev and the communists are trying to create hurdles in his growing popularity," Mr Sharma said.
Meanwhile, denying Ms Karat's allegation that animal parts and human bones were used in his Ayurvedic preparations, Baba Ramdev on Thursday reiterated his statement that multinational companies were behind the "baseless" campaign.
"Sixty per cent of the people, who follow my yoga lessons, have stopped consuming cold drinks manufactured by the MNCs. This has prompted them (the companies) to start this false campaign," he told reporters in Nasik on Wednesday evening.
Ramdev, who was in Nasik for his yoga camp beginning on Thursday, said "the baseless allegations have hurt the sentiments of the people."
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