Ahmednagar (Maharashtra):
Yoga icon Baba Ramdev was seen at Jantar Mantar during social activist Anna Hazare's hunger strike against corruption in April. But now, aspirations to climb on to Mr Hazare's Lokpal Bill campaign have hit a bit of a roadblock after the recent drama involving Baba Ramdev in Delhi.
Now, Anna Hazare has said that should Ramdev want to participate in the campaign against corruption with them, he will have to fulfill certain conditions.
"Baba Ramdev has said that he wants to be a part of the agitation, but we have a few conditions. If it is fulfilled then we will decide whether to have him along," said Mr Hazare.
Baba Ramdev and his protest against corruption faced police action when the cops dismantled his huge yoga camp plus sit-in-protest in Delhi on June 5. The police lathicharged and teargassed the 65,000 people who were with Baba Ramdev at Ramlila Maidan; the yoga teacher was evicted and flown back to Uttarakhand.
Opposition parties said the government's action was "a murder of democracy." Other activists like Gandhian Anna Hazare rose to the Baba's defence. Till the Baba made the unwise pronouncement that he would train an army of 11,000 young men and women who would be equipped to strike back if they were attacked. Brakes screeched. Mr Hazare's team said they could not support a statement which threatened violence.