Baba Ramdev says Chidambaram behind midnight swoop at Ramlila ground

Yoga guru Ramdev yesterday alleged in the Supreme Court that Union Home Minister P Chidambaram was behind the midnight crackdown on him and his followers during the protests on the issue of black money at the Ramlila Maidan last month.

Senior advocate Ram Jethmalani appearing for Ramdev sought a direction that the Home Minister should explain the incident and notice should be issued to him personally.

A bench comprising justices B S Chauhan and Swatanter Kumar said it will consider the plea after getting the response of Delhi police on theJune 4 incident and posted the matter for next hearing on July 25.

Jethmalani said Ramdev had taken a decision not to walk down to Jantar Mantar protest on the issue of corruption and was staying with his followers at the Ramlila Maidan when the crackdown was launched.

He alleged there was no order of externment against Ramdev and therefore Chidambaram must be called to explain when the decision was taken and why it was taken to get the area vacated.

However, before Jethmalani began the submissions, the bench asked senior advocate Harish Salve, who was appearing for the Delhi police, that there was need for response on some of the issues on which the law enforcing agency was silent.

The bench questioned the Delhi police for allegedly not registering the FIR on the complaint of the yoga guru’s followers against the alleged atrocities committed by the authorities. The bench said this has to be clarified in an affidavit.