The Congress and left parties on Monday lashed out at Yogaguru Baba Ramdev for his “beheading’ remark and asked the Government to take action against him. Slamming the call for “violent action and public intimidation” from the Yoga guru, Congress said Prime Minister Narendra Modi must take action against Ramdev while CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury said it was a “deliberate diversionary tactic” to take the attention away from the problems faced by people, especially the farmers.
Ramdev in a public function at Rohtak said that had not rule of law prevented him he would have “beheaded” lakhs of people for refusing to chant the Bharat Mata ki Jai slogan. Ramdev’s outburst came against the backdrop of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s recent remarks that he will not chant ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ even if a knife is put to his throat.
While CPI-M leader Brinda Karat alleged that the Modi government has given a “virtual licence” to Hindutva elements to selectively use slogans which divides the country instead of uniting it, JD (U) said Ramdev seems to have a license to say and do what he likes merely because of his proximity to BJP and RSS.
“Narendra Modi needs to tell India what action will he take against both Baba Ramdev and the RSS. Baba Ramdev’s threat to ‘cut heads off’...Is a call to violent action & public intimidation. Mr Modi, await your action. Now!,” Congress spokesman Sanjay Jha said in a tweet.
Hitting out at Devendra Fadnavis and Ramdev for their remarks on the issue of chanting ‘Bharat mata ki jai’ slogan, CPI(M) also asked the Maharashtra Chief Minister to retract his comment, while demanding that a case be filed against the yoga guru.
Targeting Fadnavis, the left party said Fadnavis’ stand is in “gross violation” of the Constitutional position he holds and reflected the “view of an RSS activist and not that of a Chief Minister”. “What the Chief Minister has said is that those who do not agree with the Hindutva version of nationalism have no right to stay in the country.
The party claimed the “climate of hate and intolerance” being created is also illustrated by “rabidly communal” stand of Ramdev. Fadnavis had on Saturday night said that those unwilling to say ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ have no right to stay in the country.