Nitish Kumar slams Centre for evicting Baba Ramdev

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar today slammed UPA government at the Centre for its use of 'brute force' to evict yoga guru Baba Ramdev and his supporters from Ramlila grounds in Delhi describing it as a 'major blow to democracy'.

"The Centre owes an explanation on the issue," he told reporters at the sidelines of a function on 'World Environment
Day'

"It is a major blow to democracy and an attack on the democractic rights of the people ... It is also an attack on the fundamental rights of the citizens," he said and expressed anguish at the midnight action on "peaceful" protesters,
including women and children, at Ramlila grounds.

Congress should explain as to what compelled it to act in a 'brazen manner' against the yoga guru and his supporters within hours of engaging him in dialogue over a set of demands to curb corruption, he said.

"As many as four central ministers and top officials were holding parleys with Ramdev for several days and reverentially
describing him as 'Baba'. What compelled the government to change its tactics and take extreme actions against the protesters?" Kumar asked.