Twenty days after he was bundled out of Delhi, the yoga guru came back to the capital to visit a woman follower who was seriously injured in the crackdown during his protest against corruption.
Twenty days after he was bundled out of Delhi, yoga guru Ramdev today came back to the capital to visit a woman follower who was seriously injured in the crackdown during his protest against corruption.
Ramdev reached the capital from Haridwar via road this afternoon and straight away headed to GB Pant Hospital in central Delhi to visit Raj Bala, who was injured in the pre-dawn police action in Ramlila Maidan on June 5.
The yoga guru's protest against corruption and black money had to be aborted soon after police withdrew the permission given to him to conduct a yoga camp, saying he had violated the conditions.
Ramdev was detained by police from the Maidan while he was trying to flee from the spot disguised as a woman. He was taken to airport by police then to Dehradun in a special plane.
Police had erected barricades at the borders to screen those entering the capital and ensure that no untoward incident happen during Ramdev's visit to the capital. Earlier, police had said he was not allowed to enter the capital for 15 days but later retracted from it.
Four Union ministers, including finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, had gone to IGI airport to meet Ramdev, before he launched his fast on June 4, to convince him not to go ahead with the fast.
Later, both the sides came to an agreement that he would make an announcement on June 5 that he would call off the fast the next day. The government claimed he went back on his promise, forcing them to take action.
Police then cited intelligence inputs about threat to Ramdev's life and a communal flare-up to make him call off his protest but as he stood adamant, security personnel swooped on the protesters.
Ramdev reached the hospital this afternoon and met Bala in the Intensive Care Unit. He left the hospital around 3pm but did not speak to the waiting media.
A large number of his supporters had gathered outside
hospital but were prevented by police from entering the Unit.
Police were deployed in abundance outside the hospital to ensure that no untoward incident takes place. Senior officials were at the hospital leading the police contingent.
Sources said police was keeping a close watch on the movement of the yoga guru.
Delhi Police has in an FIR on the Ramlila Maidan incident, cited "provocative" speeches made by religious and political leaders, including Baba Ramdev and Sadhvi Ritambara, as the main reason for canceling permission for the yoga guru's protest at Ramlila Maidan here.
Supported by hundreds of followers, Ramdev reached the hospital at 2:05pm and met Raj Bala's relatives, including his two sons - Amit and Anil, daughter-in-law Rakesh and two sisters Saroj and Tarabati.
As the entry into the ICU was restricted, he could meet her for only a few minutes.
Ramdev was apparently depressed after visiting Raj Bala, who was still on a ventilator. He also enquired if proper arrangements were made available to her, according to Rajbala's daughter-in-law Rakesh.
"Ramdev met Raj Bala for a few minutes in the ICU. After visiting her, he was depressed with the critical condition of Raj Bala. He said that if the treatment facilities are not satisfactory, then Raj Bala must be provided more costly treatment," Rakesh said.
When asked whether the family would support the yoga guru in his further campaign against corruption, she said, "We will support him in his anti-corruption campaign. Ramdev has no personal intention, he is fighting for the truth."
Amidst cheers by followers, mostly from his Bharat Swabhiman trust, Ramdev left the hospital at 3:05pm. He declined to talk to media persons present there. As soon as he left the spot, the hospital was opened for general public.
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