Author: Atiq Khan
Publication: The Hindu
Date: June 6, 2011
URL: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2079620.ece
Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh on
Sunday condemned the midnight action against the yoga guru Baba Ramdev and
his subsequent arrest and deportation by the Union government.
Mr. Singh said the midnight swoop suggested
that the Centre had lost its mental balance and the "brutalities unleashed
on the supporters [of Ramdev], including women" was reminiscent of the
Emergency days. "An Emergency-like situation is being created."
Lauds Ramdev
The SP chief lauded Baba Ramdev for "awakening
the people of the country to the issue of corruption" and warned the
Congress that it would have to face the consequences for its action in people's
court. For the UPA government, "Ramdev seemed a bigger threat than the
threat from China and Pakistan on the country's borders." In fact, Mr.
Singh was not amused at Ramdev being called a "thug" by a Congress
leader.
The SP was not part of the UPA and it gave
support only on the issue of keeping communal forces out of power, he said.
Mr. Singh took a swipe at Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. "It is not known from
whom the Prime Minister and Ms. Gandhi are taking advice," he told reporters
at the party headquarters here. He was of the view that the issue should have
been resolved through a dialogue with Baba Ramdev.
Why is he supporting Baba Ramdev when it
was being alleged that the yoga guru's dharna and agitation were being backed
by the RSS and the BJP? "Those who did not like the Baba were constrained
to support him [due to the severity of the midnight action]," he said.
"Government should listen"
Mr. Singh accused the Congress and the UPA
government of trying to "steamroll democracy." People had the right
to protest and the right to criticise. If the criticism was on the right lines,
the government should listen. "Ramdev was only alerting the government
against the menace of corruption, but it seems the Centre was wary of the
Baba," he said.
