Ramdev says history will not forgive PM for "political sin"

Haridwar, Jun 7 (PTI) With the Indian government
toughening its stand against Baba Ramdev, the yoga guru
Tuesday said he forgave the Indian Prime Minister for the
crackdown on his agitation but history will not forgive him
for the "political sin" he committed.
"The Prime Minister termed it (the police action)
unfortunate. In a way he has accepted his sin. Since he has
accepted his sin, I have forgiven him," Ramdev told reporters
here, in the northern Indian state Uttarakhand.
"I have personally forgiven him but the history of not
only India but the whole world will never forgive him for the
political sin he committed. He has tainted democracy," Ramdev,
who is continuing his satyagraha here, said.
The yoga guru was reacting to Singh's remarks
Monday that "it was unfortunate that the operation had to
be conducted but quite honestly, there was no alternative."
Baba Ramdev also attacked the Indian National Congress
for ridiculing his escape in a women's dress from the ground,
saying even Maratha warrior Shivaji had escaped in disguise to
secure the nation.
"If anybody saves his life for securing the nation,
they won't like it. Even Shivaji had saved his life. But these
people do not accept Shivaji as their ideal. Their target is
to protect terrorists and kill Baba."
Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi had
Monday said, "A satyagrahi does not run away stealthily
wearing women's dress. Satyagrahi is always ready to sacrifice
his life".
Ramdev also alleged there could be "five kinds of
conspiracies" to eliminate him at the Ramlila ground from
where he was evicted after his talks with the Government to
end the fast failed. Rana's lawyer Charles Swift said, the government could
not prove beyond reasonable doubt that Rana was guilty.
"Government could not prove its case so Rana is not
testifying," Swift said.
Rana's relatives, mostly women, dressed in salwar
kameez, including his wife Samraz, sat in the courtroom.
The defense also called an attorney who said his work
with First World -- Rana's immigration company -- included
legitimate seminars on immigration issues.
Earlier, a video recording produced by FBI before the
court revealed that LeT operative Headley had approached the
ISI to help Rana get back to Pakistan.
Headley used his personal links to favour Rana, FBI
agent Jeffrey Parsons said while deposing.
Rana, 50, had served in the Pakistani Army as a
doctor. He served in the Gulf War in Saudi Arabia and got
injured there and recuperated in Germany.
After that Rana was posted in the glacier region in
Pakistan where he declined to go following which he was
declared a deserter and could not travel to Pakistan again.
"Headley used his personal links to get me the
favour", the FBI agent quoted Rana as stating.
Parsons said he had interviewed Pakistani-Canadian
Rana with another agent Benabides.
In the video shown in court, Rana said he thought
Lashkar-e-Taiba does not know Headley is with the ISI.
Parsons also said that Rana mentioned his meeting with
al Qaeda commander Ilyas Kashmiri, believed to have been
killed in a US drone attack in South Waziristan last week.
During previous hearings Headley had testified that
ISI was linked to the 2008 Mumbai terror strikes. The yoga guru said that he suspects that the police
would now edit the recordings made by the CCTV cameras
installed at the ground in a bid to wipe out the evidence so
that they escape action.
"We had put CCTV cameras in the camp, which recorded
the events. If the police had not done anything wrong, why
did they took away the footages forcibly. This is clear cut
goondaism of the police.
"Our workers who had gone there have been embroiled in
false cases under a conspiracy. The police will now edit the
footage and then release after deleting portions so that no
action follows against them," Ramdev said.
He alleged that the police lobbed hundreds of tear gas
shells in a bid to suffocate him to death where he was hiding.
Ramdev said there could be conspiracies to kill him by
strangulating, burning the stage on which he was sitting and
shooting him.
He said the government's argument that there was a
threat of terrorist attack on him could be the fifth
conspiracy to eliminate him and alleged that an e-mail has
been "manufactured" by the government to make it convincing.