Ramdev breaks fast, vows to continue campaign again corruption

Dehradun (PTI) Yoga guru Ramdev Sunday broke
his nine-day-old fast that sparked a political slugfest
heeding appeals of spiritual and religious leaders but vowed
to continue his campaign against corruption.
Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravishankar, who met the
46-year-old yoga exponent for the third day at a Dehradun
hospital to persuade him to give up his fast said, "Ramdev has
broken his fast by taking juice."
"He ended the fast in the presence of various religious
and spiritual leaders", The Art of Living Founder said.
Doctors said he will be discharged from hospital in
two-three days though his condition is "stable".
The Congress and India's principal opposition party,
the BJP welcomed Ramdev's decision to end the fast. Congress
General Secretary Janardhan Dwivedi said it is "good news"
while BJP spokesperon Ravi Shankar Prasad said the party had a
"sense of satisfaction".
Ramdev, who went on a hunger strike to protest against
corruption and black money issues, was admitted to the
Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences here on Friday
after his condition deteriorated at his Patanjali Yogapeeth
ashram in north Indian city of Haridwar.
Vijay Dhasmana, the hospital director, said, "I am
thankful to everyone who came here and helped Ramdev to break
his fast. His health is not such that he can be discharged
today.
"It will take two-three days for him to be out of this
hospital. By evening he will be shifted to a deluxe general
ward. His condition is stable and he has broken his fast," he
said.
The yoga exponent's close associate Balakrishna, who
also ended his fast at the hospital, said, "Ramdev has
considered the request of hundreds of his followers and people
from the saints' fraternity".
Balakrishna said, "He (Ramdev) will take this
satyagraha forward till his last breath.
"The protest will continue till our last breath.
Ramdev wants black money to be declared as national wealth
constitutionally. We appeal to all our followers and other
people to break their fast as well," Balakrishna said.
Earlier in the day, north Indian state of Punjab Chief
Minister Parkash Singh Badal, former Haryana Chief Minister Om
Prakash Chautala and Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy had
met Ramdev.
Asked if the battle against the government was lost,
Balakrishna said, "It is not a a matter of who wins or who
loses. The aim was to wake up the nation against corruption
and now people have woken up and the fight will continue."
Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy said, "It is a
matter of great satisfaction for the whole nation. Protests
should be done in front of people who have a heart. Protests
against corruption will continue. We all are with him." Swamy
was present when Ramdev took the juice.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar had been meeting Ramdev at the
hospital to persuade him to end his hunger strike. He had come
from Haridwar where he had gone to immerse the ashes of his
father who died recently.
Morari Bapu, a religious leader, said, "I came to meet
him and to take stock of his health. I am happy to note that
he has broken the fast and taken juice. Whatever message he
wanted to give has been given."
Soon after the announcement was made that Ramdev had
ended his fast, a number of his supporters shouted
anti-government and pro-Ramdev slogans.
"We all are happy that Ramdev has broken his fast and
we all are with him to fight corruption and to bring back
black money," said Rajesh Kumar, a follower who came here from
Jharkhand along with 50 others.
Earlier doctors attending on him had said, "His
condition is stable. Ramdev's blood pressure and pulse rate
and all other parameters are the same. There was slight
variation in his BP. It has tripped thrice today."
Ramdev's fast had a violent start following a
post-midnight crackdown on him and his followers in Ramlila
Maidan in Delhi last Sunday.