New Delhi: Lambasting at the UPA government and threading a fight to finish by August on black money issue Ramdev has asked the Prime Minster Manmohan Singh to make his cabinet “corruption minister” however he termed the PM a “honest person”.
"The Prime Minister was forced to give statement on illegal mining. We all know that Manmohan Singh is an honest person and we all respect him. But people expect him to make his Cabinet corruption free...Please fulfil your democratic duties," Ramdev said at Jantar Mantar at the joint one-day fast with Anna Hazare.
Recalling Singh's statement that hunger and malnutrition are a 'national shame', he said mere statements will not solve the problem.
Referring the issue of black money, he alleged that Rs 400 lakh crore of Indian money was stashed abroad and if the amount was brought back to the country, the nation would become "far superior" to China and the United States.
"We need to bring back black money. I appeal to the people of the country to join this fight. We are intensifying this fight. From today, we are intensifying our protest to bring back black money stashed abroad and want all of the countrymen to be part of the fight to finish by August," he said before the start of the fast.
Ramdev said FDI in India worth Rs 20 lakh crore holds the 'key' to people involved in stashing black money abroad. "If the government names the actual owners of the FDI, the puzzle to black money will be solved," he said.
Taking dig at the Indian Premier league (IPL)Ramdev said that IPL is the real source of black money. The Indian Premier League (IPL) is nothing but an array of corruption and graft.
IPL was funded with black money; players bought and tournament runs with tainted money.
Seeking answers to the fall of the rupee and dipping GDP from Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Ramdev said the Indian economy will be strengthened if the black money is brought back and the youth are given ample employment opportunities.
The fast has been called to mark one year of Ramdev's last agitation at Ramlila ground, from where he was arrested in the middle of the night between June 3 and 4 last year.
Earlier, Anna and Ramdev visited the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. Ramdev reached the samadhi along with a number of his supporters after taking out a march from the Delhi borders while Anna went there from Maharashtra Sadan where he was staying.
Before beginning their journey to Rajghat, Ramdev and his close aide Acharya Balkrishna went to Azad Hind Gram on Ttikrikalan on Delhi border and paid tributes to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Anna was accompanied by Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi.
Both Anna Hazare and Ramdev spent some time meditating at Rajghat. Ramdev also went to the nearby Shahid Park. The protest at Jantar Mantar is likely to see Anna and Ramdev announcing their strategy for the 2014 General Elections.
On the direction of Ramdev and under the Banner of Bharat Swabhiman Andolan a nationwide campaign has been organised by the Ramdev’s activist around 650 districts in India.
Ramdev’s activists have announced to hold a candle march in today evening at huge level.
“We will organise a candle march in the evening over the issue of black money and government policy, “said a close aide of Ramdev while talking to news.BDTV.in.
The one-day fast demanding bringing back black money stashed abroad and against the corruption and corrupt system will have its echo in the state capitals as well with Ramdev's Bharat Swabhiman Andolan organising protests.