ARREST OF BABA RAMDEV - AN INTELLECTUAL DISCUSSION by : DR. T.K.

JAIN for the cause of PROMOTION OF SPIRITUALITY AND SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP Ph: 0151-2544275, 9414430763 [email protected], [email protected]
I am sure every person know Baba Ramdev. History: - Babaji Ramdev Maharaj The Yog Guru. Pujya Shri Baba Ramdev Maharaj ji is a renouned Yoga and Ayurved guru. He is is well-versed in Sanskrit Grammar, Ayurveda and Vedic Philosophy. His practical approach to Yoga has won him millions of followers throughout India. Babaji Ramdev was born as Ramkishan in a very humble yadav family of a farmer in Alipur village at Narnaul, in Mahendragarh district of Haryana. Two and half months after he was born half of his body was paralysed but he recovered. He escaped death about seven times. He studied in his Narnaul village school till 5th. He studied up to Class 8 in nearby village Shahjadpur and then joined a gurukul in Khanpur village to learn Sanskrit. From there he went to Jind district and joined the Kalva gurukul under Acharya Baldev ji Maharaj and later imparted free Yoga training to villagers across Haryana. It is said that he travelled the Himalayas for several years before he settled in Haridwar. He spent a considerable amount of time in the caves of Gangotri. He discovered several medicinal plants in the Himalayas which he uses in treating his patients, apart from reeking the benefits of cows urine and manure. Baba Ramdev started relentless efforts to popularise Yoga in 1995 with the esteblishment of Divya Yoga Mandir Trust, along with Acharya Karamveer and Acharya Balkrishna. While Karamveer is well-versed in Yoga and the Vedas, Balkrishna is a physician with a degree in Ayurveda. Ramdev became the president of the trust, Karamveer the deputy president and Balkrishna the general secretary. The objective of the trust was to reach Yoga in every part of the country and cure as many patients as possible. With this he began activities in health and

spiritual pursuits and has cured many incurable diseases since then. Now thousands of people everyday attend his Yoga camps. And many are following him in Yoga through TV channels and Videos. Babaji has given a new birth to Yoga by bringing it to public and benefiting people with it. He has helped Yoga become popular among common man. He has done so by curing many incurable diseases. He is responsible for a revolution in Yoga and health. Guru Ramdev has planned a Rs 100-crore dream project, Patanjali Yog Peeth, at Bahadrabad, about 20km from Haridwar. According to him, "It will catapult Yoga and Ayurveda to its zenith, and lead to mental, spiritual and physical development of people". To be completed in three years, it is an ambitious project with a Yoga university, a naturopathy department which can handle 1,000 patients at a time, a residential complex for patients, a hall for 5,000 people to practise Yoga and the worlds largest hospital ward to treat 5,000 patients a day. Babaji believes that "yog se yeh Aaryavrat desh punah Vishva guru ke garimamay pad par pratishthit hoga" ( India will again become world leader through Yoga ). He dreams of a "rog mukt Bharat Varsh aur Vishva" ( Disease free India and World ). A person of this level cannot be engaged in riotting. A person who is trying to promote spirituality and peace in our country should not be blamed for promoting riots and for damaging public property. Democracy is supposed to be the best system in the world, because it enables any person to express his ideas and lead unrestricted life. However, in our country, we are finding a mixed impact of democracy. Some person express out anything - even against our own country - and no action is taken against them, some persons mis-use the freedom granted by democracy. Some persons on the other hand are denied the freedom. If certain persons promote casteism, or caste based reservation or religious movement there is no opposition from the government, but when some person comes forward and asks the government to remove corruption, there are objections. Baba Ramdev must be complemented for taking a brave decision to oppose corruption. It requires us all to stand and oppose corruption in any form. Anna Hazare alone cant do anything if we dont join him. Let us all oppose corruption in our personal life. Why should people oppose Baba Ramdev, when he is doing somehting great for the sake of our country. Baba Ramdev is not a criminal nor he is an anti-social element. He has massive support from public and he will continue to get this support. We all support him for his initiatives to fight against corruption. The actions by the government to arrest him only proves the narromindedness of the government and must be criticised by all of us boldly and openly. We are citizens of India and hence we respect our governement, but on logical grounds, we can find that the actions of the government needs reviews. I request intellectuals to put their opinion on this and subsequent issues. following is the press release released by Delhi Police : "Delhi Police had granted permission to Bharat Swabhiman Trust to hold yoga training camp, to be conducted by Baba Ramdev, at Ramlila Ground. But the same was withdrawn, as the events unfolded, when all efforts failed to convince Baba Ramdev and organizers to restrict the activities what was originally permitted, keeping in view of the heightened security scenario of the capital city and public safety. On 04.06.2011, the first day of the training camp, no yoga training as such was organized. Instead, leaders from political and religious organizations including Baba Ramdev

chose to incite his followers through provocative speeches from the dais and exhorted people to join in large numbers. When policemen moved to detain Baba Ramdev, his followers came in the way and started pelting stones, flower pots and whatever they could get their hands on. This ensued some pushing & pulling between the policemen and the supporters resulting in injuries to supporters as well as policemen. 39 supporters including 4 women and 23 policemen sustained injuries, who were discharged after first aid. The police exercised great restraint in dealing with supporters and situation. In order to contain the situation from deteriorating, the police lobbed eight (8) tear gas shells. This forced the supporters to vacate the venue although after much resistance. Subsequently, police detained Baba Ramdev. He was later allowed to leave after he requested to return to his Ashram in Haridwar. A case of rioting, prevention of damage to public property and obstruction to public servant in discharge of public duties, has been registered at PS Kamla Market."