New Delhi, June 4 (ANI): Yoga guru Baba Ramdev launched his indefinite fast against corruption and black money on Saturday morning after the government failed to persuade him to call off his protest.
The yoga guru began the protest along with thousands of his followers at the Ramlila maidan here as he was joined by Swami Sadhavi Ritambhara and other religious leaders from the Sikh, Jain and Muslim communities.
Before launching the fast, Ramdev held a yoga and ''bhajan'' session during which he told the gathering that the protest was intended to save the country from corruption and ensure that the poor get a good life.
A large number of security personnel, including women from Rapid Action Force, were deployed at the protest site to ensure no untoward incident takes place. A manual frisking is also being carried out at the entrance.
Yesterday, four hours of negotiation at a five-star hotel in Delhi did not give the government the out it was desperately seeking.
Baba Ramdev, who met with Union Human Resource and Development (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal at the Claridges Hotel, demanded that those involved in corruption cases should be tried in fast-track courts and should get death sentence if found guilty.
Ramdev said: "Our courts have a backlog of 3.5 crore cases and corruption and black money cases are being heard by the same courts. We should have separate courts to deal with corruption cases and exemplary punishment should be meted to the culprits. They should be given death sentence. They should be hanged to death."
Terming people accused of corruption as traitors, Ramdev said that India could once again become a superpower if the Government tackles the problem on war footing.
"If the entire black money is brought back to the country, then poverty will be abolished. Indian currency will be stronger than the dollar and pound. India was once the leader in every sphere of the world," he added.
Expressing his heartfelt thanks to his supporters, who have come to participate in his satyagraha, Ramdev said: "The crusade against corruption has reached a decisive stage and the government cannot just sit idle on these matters." (ANI)
