Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Monday called upon Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu and sought his support for anti-corruption movement and to bring back black money.
Talking to media persons at NTR Trust Bhavan after meeting Naidu, Baba Ramdev said that his fight was against corruption and black money and not against any political parties or individuals.
‘We want all the parties, including Congress to be united in this fight. We are not against any particular political group. Our campaign will continue until black money is brought back to the country and a strong Lokpal Bill is passed,’ said Baba Ramdev.
Baba Ramdev said that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was under tremendous pressure and even forgot smiling. Replying to a query, he said that the Prime Minister was personally honest but he has to display his ‘political and constitutional honesty.’
He said that he would intensify his fight against rampant corruption and black money across the country from August 9 and would seek support of all parties including the ruling Congress party and industrialists.
The Yoga Guru termed government’s ‘White Paper’ on black money as ‘lie paper’. He said that gold accounted for highest amount of black money. The black money in large proportions has been invested in other sectors like real estate and mining.
Baba Ramdev said that he was forced to launch agitation because those in power were not coming forward to discuss the ways and means to tackle corruption and black money.
“I wrote a letter to Sonia Gandhiji and spoke to her secretary Madhavan more than five times. He always promises to get back after talking to her but it never happened. Same is the case with Rahul Gandhi,” he said.
If all the black money, within the country and abroad, is brought back then India would emerge as an economic super power in the world, he said.
Reacting to allegations that he was an agent of United States of America, he retorted, ‘I have got no funds from abroad nor any economic support. I received no awards from any foreign country.’
He maintained that he was not worried about the allegations against him as he had a clean slate. ‘For 20 years, I have been into service and there was not a single allegation. It all started only after June 4, 2011 when I launched the movement against black money.
The government agencies have issued 60 notices so far and it will soon touch the century mark. But they failed to prove even a single charge against me, he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Chandrababu Naidu pledged support to Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare in the fight against corruption. He assured that the TDP would organise campaigns across Andhra Pradesh.
‘Ultimately, he is fighting for a noble cause. Everyone should extend support. He isn’t asking for favour,’ said Naidu.
This was the second meeting between Naidu and Baba Ramdev in recent months on the issue of corruption and black money.
—-INN