A full-scale confrontation between the government and the Opposition is visible ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. While political parties backing the Centre from outside like the BSP and the Samajwadi Party criticised the police action at Ramlila Maidan, sending out a clear message that their support should not be taken for granted, the UPA allies are not as aggressive as the Congress in attacking Baba Ramdev.
On the other hand, the civil society group led by Mr Anna Hazare not only disapproved of the police action, but also charged the government with being insincere on issues of inclusion of the Prime Minister in the Lokpal Bill and the black money issue.
The Manmohan Singh government is heavily depending on the SP (22 members in the Lok Sabha), the BSP (21)and the Lalu Prasad Yadav-led RJD (5) for support. Any attempt to win over the AIADMK (9) could compel the DMK (18) to quit the government.
The BSP and the SP cannot afford to extend unconditional support to the Centre, at least for a year, because of the impending Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections expected in May 2012. There, the Congress has been fighting against the Mayawati-led BSP and the Mulayam Singh Yadav-led SP simultaneously.
On the other hand, barring the RJD, no political party has so far come out in support of the government for the police action against Baba Ramdev. Even National Conference leader and Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said the initial decision of the Central government to turn Baba Ramdev back from the Delhi airport on June 1 should have been implemented.
A section of the Congress views that the BJP and the Sangh Parivar coming out in support of Baba Ramdev could help it in converting the corruption issue into a secularism versus communalism battle. This would prevent secular regional parties from allying with the BJP.
Political parties, including the Left, JD(U), BJD, TDP, SAD, TDP, Shiv Sena, INLD and others, criticised the use of the police force at Ramlila Maidan.
Mr Anil Shastri, son of the late Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, was the only Congress leader who felt the police crackdown was “unfortunate and avoidable”. He took a line different from the other Congress leaders and Union ministers.
In a posting on microblogging site Twitter, Mr Shastri, who is also the editor of party mouthpiece Congress Sandesh, said: “What happened last night at Ramlila Grounds in Delhi was unfortunate and avoidable.”
He, however, maintained that it was the government and not the Congress which had taken the decision.
“It is the Manmohan Singh govt. Was not a party decision,” he tweeted.