Anna Hazare, Baba Ramdev team up, begin fast

NEW DELHI: Yoga Guru Ramdev and anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Sunday sat on a day-long joint fast to protest against black money and corruption at the Jantar Mantar in the national capital. The fast at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar has been called to mark one year of Ramdev’s last agitation at
Before reaching to jantar Mantar,, Anna and Ramdev on Sunday visited the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. At Tikri Kalan on Delhi border, Ramdev threatened the government with a fight to finish by August for bringing back black money stashed abroad.

Ramdev said the economic situation in the country is very bad as the rupee was falling and growth rate had declined.

“We need to bring back black money. I appeal to people of the country to join this fight. We are intensifying this fight. From today, we are intensifying our protest to bring back black money stashed abroad and want all of the countrymen to be part of the fight to finish by August,” he said after paying tributes to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose at Azad Hind Gram.

Hazare was accompanied by Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi. Both Hazare and Baba Ramdev spent some time meditating at Rajghat. Baba Ramdev also went to the nearby Shahid Park. Ramdev is expected to announce his strategy with regard to the 2014 elections.

It is also keenly watched whether retired Army chief Gen V K Singh, who had locked horns with the government on various issues, would attend the protest.

The association with Ramdev had in the past created ripples in Team Anna with a section remaining opposed to have any truck with the yoga guru as he is facing corruption charges.

Ahead of the fast, both Hazare and Ramdev have stepped up their attack on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Hazare had said that the prime minister has lost faith in government while Ramdev alleged that the Prime Minister was not “politically honest”.

Meanwhile, elaborate security arrangements have been made by Delhi Police.