The Hindu : Front Page : Ramdev ends fast, condition stable

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Monday, Jun 13, 2011
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Ramdev ends fast, condition stable

C.K. Chandramohan

DEHRA DUN: Yoga guru Ramdev broke his fast on Sunday by accepting fruit juice from his supporters and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at the Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust hospital at Jolly Grant, near here.

The nine-day fast earned him fame as well as brickbats from various groups and political parties.

Ramdev was admitted to the hospital after developing complications at the fasting venue at Patanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar on Friday.

Briefing journalists in the evening, Deepak Goel of the Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust said Ramdev took juice and fruits. His condition was stable. His blood pressure fluctuated three times today. He was having some problem in talking and sitting. He would be shifted to a deluxe general ward on Monday, and a decision on discharging him would be taken thereafter.

Ramdev's aide Balkrishna, who also broke his fast, read out a statement that said the crusade against corruption and black money would continue as long as Ramdev lived.

“Succesful”

“The fast was not against any individual or party but to create awareness [among the people] of the corrupt system and black money stashed away in foreign countries, and has been successful,” the statement said.

Ramdev also demanded that black money be declared a national asset under the Constitution. He urged all his followers to end their fast, Balkrishna said.

Addressing journalists, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who visited Baba Ramdev for the third time in as many days, said he was happy the yoga guru had accepted the wishes of holy men and ended his fast.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal; the former Haryana Chief Minister, Om Prakash Chautala; and Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy also met Ramdev.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, while expressing happiness with Ramdev's decision, said the BJP stood by him. He could not be present while the fast was broken as his helicopter could not take off owing to bad weather at Almora, where he attended a meeting of the BJP's State working committee.

Meanwhil,e Swami Adhokshjanand Shankaracharya of Govardhanpeeth sought a high-level probe into the “illegal” assets of Ramdev.

“Ramdev talked of [his] drawing inspiration from revolutionaries but put the nation to shame by trying to escape from the Ramlila Maidan in a woman's apparel instead of courting arrest like a true satyagrahi,” the Shankaracharya said.

Describing the entire drama as scripted by the RSS, Swami Adhokshjanand urged holy men to keep away from politics. Such acts of Ramdev, if supported by the masses, could lead to communal trouble, he said, seeking a thorough probe against Balkrishna.

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