New Delhi:
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has appealed to Yoga guru Baba Ramdev to call off his proposed fast against corruption.
In a letter to Ramdev, the Prime Minister said, "Corruption is a big problem and we are making serious efforts to tackle it. It's not a divisive issue. We have to work with Baba Ramdev and look for solutions. I have already asked him not to take recourse to an agitation."
There is still time and we would like all concerned to cooperate, the PM said in his letter.
Baba Ramdev had earlier said he will start a 'satyagraha' against corruption and black money and go on an indefinite fast from June 4, demanding that the government bring back black money stashed in tax havens abroad.
"My hunger strike will go ahead. There is no question of calling off the protest plan till my demands are met and till talks reach a satisfactory conclusion," Baba Ramdev told NDTV speaking from Madhya Pradesh, where he is conducting a yoga camp.
And despite the government's appeal, the yoga guru has said he will not back down from his fasting plans.
Meanwhile, differences are appearing in the Lokpal bill panel, formed after the government gave into Anna Hazare's fast-unto-death against corruption last month.
Chinks are beginning to be seen in the armour after differences over the demand for inclusion of the Prime Minister and higher judiciary under the purview of the Lokpal.
Baba Ramdev, who staunchly supported Mr Hazare's campaign, now says that questions shouldn't be asked of the foremost leaders in a democracy, but added that he did not want to go into the controversial issue.
"People holding positions in the Constitution should be included in it. But I don't want to get into the controversy of inclusion of the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice; it is a very critical question. It is a serious matter if there are unnecessary comments made about the person holding a senior position in the democracy. If the Chief Justice does not understand his work then how can we say the Lokayukta will be better?" Baba Ramdev said.
Yesterday, after a three-hour meeting, the government had refused to concede to the basic principles demanded by Anna Hazare and his nominees.
The two sides disagreed on the Prime Minister coming under the purview of the Lokpal. They further disagreed over the inclusion of judiciary under the Lokpal. The government was of the view that it should be self-regulatory, but the civil society members disagreed.
While the government is refusing to blink, it will stay the course, given how Hazare's fast against corruption caught the public imagination. Worried about another mass movement along the lines of Mr Hazare's anti-corruption movement, the government does not want Ramdev to proceed.
Meanwhile, RTI activist and one of the prominent supporters of Mr Hazare's campaign, Arvind Kejriwal, told NDTV that he will try to convince Ramdev on inclusion of PM under the Lokpal.
"You tell me what should we compromise on, we need PM, judiciary and bureaucracy to be covered by Lokpal. If this is not covered, is that the Lokpal we want? We will talk to Baba Ramdev, he has problem with the inclusion of only Chief Justice of India and the Prime Minister," he said.
With civil society activists building pressure on the government over the corruption issue, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) met in New Delhi yesterday to discuss the matter.
The two-hour meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, is believed to have deliberated on ways that could be adopted to deal with the matter.
The Cabinet has also decided to set up a fresh panel to draw an estimate of the black money parked in foreign shores.