Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev on Wednesday took a jibe at award returning spree by scholars, artists and trained guns on Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan for his remarks on growing intolerance in the country.
The Yoga Guru slammed the actor and people who have returned their awards, saying the gesture an act of “appeasement” of parties after obtaining it through “flattery”.
Ramdev’s salvo of counter arguments against the principle for returning the award was launched on Wednesday at Ranchi where the Yoga Guru is organising a camp to provide tips to stay healthy.
The founder of Patanjali Yogpeeth also dared the people who returned their award to "donate" the fortune created after receiving the award.
"Shahrukh Khan said he wants to return the award symbolically. So, I would request him through media that he if is genuinely troubled with rising intolerance in the country, then he must return whatever he has earned after receiving Padam Shree through a demand draft to the country either by depositing it in the Prime Minister's Relief Fund or through any other media that he deems fit," said Ramdev.
The Yoga Guru went on with the accusation that the gesture of returning award is more an act of adulating leftist and the Congress rather than a concern about the tolerance in the country wearing thin.
Notably, the actor was quoted as saying that he would give up the award aas a symbolic gesture and that there is extreme intolerance in the country.
Ramdev added that failure to return the money would tantamount to appeasing political parties. "… Otherwise I would consider that he earned the award through flattery and he is returning to appease the political parties," he further added.
Ramdeve asserted that most of the recipients of the awards got it flattering the left parties and Congress and now they are returning the awards to make them happy.
Meanwhile, the Yoga Guru extended helping hand towards a model Aanganwadi Kendra and announced that the Patanjali Yogpeeth would be sponsoring breakfast and lunch for the children of the school-cum-Anganwadi Kendra situated at Kanta Toli for 365 days. He also stated that bright students of the government school would be given free of cost education at Arogya Kulam, which the upcoming school project of the institution. Besides, he also extended helping hand towards the Sahiyas and Sevikas for discharging their responsibilities towards assisting children and nursing mother in maintaining good health.
"I will give twice the wage being given by the Government. Also, those students who will show better performance would be given free of cost education at Arogya Kulam," maintained Ramdev.
The model Anganwadi Kendra is third of its kind, however, more such centres are on the cards in the current financial year as Social Welfare Minister louis Marandi confided that the department would ensure that more model centres are opened.
"Plan has already been made to create additional 100 model Aanganwadi Kendras in the current financial year," said Marandi. The model Aanganwadi centre features hi-tech mode of learning through DVD player and lED TV. Better quality of desk and wall paintings to improve the learning process are some of the features at the model centre.
Ramdev was accompanied by Minister Urban Development, CP Singh, School Education Minister Neera Yadav and RMC Deputy Mayor Sanjeev Vijaywargiya.