Ramdev denied permission: Mayawati acted under UPA's pressure, says BJP

The BJP today accused the Uttar Pradesh government of acting under UPA's pressure in denying permission to yoga master Baba Ramdev to hold his peaceful agitation in Uttar Pradesh.

"If Baba can hold satyagraha in Uttaranchal, why can't he do the same in Noida or Muzaffarnagar as his programme is totally peaceful.

"But, the state government promulgated prohibitory orders to thwart his move," Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Surya Pratap Shahi told reporters in Lucknow.

"Chief minister Mayawati's statement condemning the police action on the Yoga guru took us by surprise. But she took a U-turn later and stopped him from entering the state," he said.

"Either the chief minister is with the Congress or has acted under pressure of the Union government" Shahi said.

He described the police action on Baba's supporters as an attack on democracy.

Shahi said the BJP would continue its crusade against the menace of corruption, adding party workers were staging sit-ins in several districts of the state to highlight the issue.

He said the party would hold rallies in support of farmers in five districts of western UP from June 8 to 11.