Police personnel pacify supporters of Ramdev and CPI (M) during a demonstration in New Delhi on Thursday. — PHOTO: PTI

NEW DELHI: Supporters of yoga guru Swamy Ramdev clashed with Communist Party of India (Marxist) members outside the party headquarters near Gole Market here on Thursday before the police dispersed them.

Twenty supporters of Swamy Ramdev were arrested on charges of rioting, while one person was injured in the clash.

The incident occurred around 11 a.m. when supporters of Swamy Ramdev gathered outside the CPI (M) office and began raising slogans against the party Rajya Sabha and Polit Bureau Member, Brinda Karat, who a couple of days ago alleged that the Divya Yog Pharmacy, owned by Swamy Ramdev, used animal parts in its Ayurvedic preparations.

This led to a heated exchange between party workers and the protesters. Soon, both sides started pelting stones at each other. Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi, Anita Roy rushed to the spot.Both sides stepped back after mild force was used.

The police later registered a case of rioting and arrested the protestors.

Forcible entry

The Delhi State Committee of the CPI (M) said the protest demonstration was the work of a handful of hoodlums belonging to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Rashtriya Sewak Sangh, who attempted to forcibly enter the central party office.

"The Delhi police, despite prior information about the demonstration, did not deploy sufficient personnel at the office. This is unfortunate," said the committee in a statement.

Hari Singh Kang of the Central Committee Office of the CPI (M) expressed surprise over the reported statement of Uttaranchal Chief Minister N.D. Tiwari that the issues raised about the adulteration of medicines in a pharmacy in his State were personal between Swamy Ramdev and Ms. Karat.

He said there were two issues involved in the matter. The first was the violation of labour laws in the pharmacy owned by Swamy Ramdev where 110 workers were illegally dismissed after they protested against not being paid minimum wages and overtime. "The second is the testing of the samples of medicines from his pharmacy by the Health Ministry, which has confirmed the presence of animal matter whereas they are labelled as herbal medicines."

In a statement, he said there was no question of any opposition to yoga, Ayurveda or any other indigenous medicines. "However, these medicines are to be dispensed with utmost transparency according to official regulations and if there is any violation it must be checked and suitable measures taken against wrong doings." He demanded Mr. Tiwari get all dismissed workers reinstated.

The All-India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) condemned the "hysterical and uncivilised protests" being staged against its vice-president Brinda Karat by various organisations belonging the Sangh Parivar and their allies.

"It is a fact that employees working in the Ayurvedic drug manufacturing factory run by Swamy Ramdev, many of whom are poor women, have been protesting since last year against violation of labour laws there. They had met Ms. Karat in connection with these problems and had told her about various materials like animal parts, bones and horns being used in the manufacture of medicines without their users being made aware about them.

Effigies burnt

Activists of the Bharatiya Janata Party and its frontal organisations burnt effigies of Ms. Karat in Dehra Dun and Hardwar.

Some groups led by CPI (M) cadres also burnt effigies of Swami Ram Dev.

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