The Congress Party on Monday launched a no-holds-barred attack on Ramdev and the BJP accusing them of trying to destabilise the government at the Centre. The AICC also firmly backed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with party general secretary Janaradan Dwivedi hailing him as the biggest Sanyasi (saint) in contemporary politics.
Making light of Ramdev and his fast, Mr Dwivedi said, “One who calls himself a saint or monk should ask himself how many saints of the country are behind him. This is humiliation to the real saints of the country.”
“A satyagrahi does not run away stealthily wearing women’s dresses. Satyagrahi is always ready to sacrifice his life. Such a person is being compared to Mahatma Gandhi and Vivekananda. Gandhiji never said he feared for his life from the state,” Mr Dwivedi said taking a dig at Ramdev.
Launching a blistering attack on the BJP, which is seeking to make a big issue out of the Ramdev incident, Mr Dwivedi ridiculed the fast of BJP leaders at the Rajghat during the day as also likening the police action at Ramlila ground to Jalianwala Bagh massacre.
“Some people are sitting on fast at Rajghat. These are those people, whose thought led to the creation of Rajghat Samaadhi before time. Gandhiji wanted to live for 125 years. But Rajghat came into existence much before,” Mr Dwivedi said. Taking potshots at the BJP over the fast, he said, “What kind of fast is this when the Leader of the Opposition is dancing along with her friends at Gandhi’s Samadhi. What is it they are celebrating. Is the celebration for putting forward Anna Hazare on the one hand and Swami on the other as their mask?” he asked. Accusing the BJP of trying to destabilise the Congress-led government at the Centre, he said, “After tolerating UPA-I and two years of UPA-II, they (BJP) are very uneasy about how to spend three more years. Therefore, they are trying to spread chaos and anarchy any whatever manner they can.”
Mr Dwivedi termed Mrs Sonia Gandhi’s refusal to accept prime ministership as “no child’s play” and said, “There is no bigger sanyasi in contemporary politics than the Prime Minister. Nobody can raise a finger at Manmohan Singh.”