Ramdev and Medha Patkar , Role in the Fight against corruption

Medha Patkar who went on an indefinite strike on Friday, May 20, protesting against the demolishing of slums in Mumbai, is still on her hunger strike as it entered its sixth day on Wednesday, May 25.

Patkar is fasting in Golibar, which falls under the Khar-Santacruz area of Mumbai, where 140 acres of land has been handed to a private builder which affects 26, 000 slum dwellers.

According to Patkar, the signatures of the slum dwellers that appears on the letters of consent signed by the slum dwellers for a slum rehabilitation project at Golibar are forged.

Her demands include removal of Maharashtra Slum Areas Act, 1971, Clause 3K, that states that the state government can take over land without the consent of slum dwellers. Her demands also include a probe into all projects that are sanctioned under this section and Rajiv Awas Yojana to be implemented in Mumbai and a  reassessment of remaining four Slum Rehabilitation Authority projects.

May 28: Medha Patkar, who was protesting against the demolishing of slums in Mumbai, ended her indefinite strike on Saturday, May 28 after the Maharashtra government agreed to her demands.

Medha decided to end her fast on ninth day after the Maharashtra government agreed to stay the demolition of the house in the Ganeshkripa Society in Santa Cruz till Jun 15. 

The Mumbai based social activist Medha Patkar always raises voice for the needs of the poor and against wrong doings. Patkar, who gets nation-wide significance over her Narmada Bachaon Andolan (Save Narmada protest), now voiced for the "original inhabitants of Mumbai" - slum dwellers.

Calling Mumbai's Adarsh Housing "a symbol of paradigm of development," Patkar now demanded demolition of the 31-storey "illegal" Adarsh building. Following the protest, she with some other activists were detained for some time..... 

Scoffs at Ramdev

Just as the movement by Baba Ramdev in New Delhi against corruption was gathering momentum, social activist Medha Patkar took pot-shots against the spiritual leader in Mumbai.

Patkar, who was in Dadar to express her solidarity with residents and activists on an indefinite hunger strike against a redevelopment project next to the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) headquarters, said that while the “glamourous Ramdev” was getting five-star attention from central leadership, common agitators were being ignored.

Patkar visited Dadar’s Lokmanya Nagar housing colony on Thursday. Residents there are opposing the redevelopment process initiated by a private developer in accordance with the repair and reconstruction board of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority.

Lakshmibai Bhatkar, 78, along with four other residents, is on an indefinite hunger strike since May 23. “In spite of being right next to the MPCC office, the agitators have not seen a single Congress leader coming and having a word with them. Here is an ailing Lakshmibai asking for justice being completely neglected by the government and there is Ramdev Baba in New Delhi, who is being welcomed by top Congress ministers just for announcing a hunger strike against corruption,” said Patkar.

Patkar also went to meet MPCC president Manikrao Thackeray to discuss the Lokmanya Nagar redevelopment issue. “He has taken an appointment with minister of state for housing, Sachin Ahir. Our representatives will meet the minister and put across their views regarding irregularities in the redevelopment project,” said Patkar.

Baba Ramdev is shouting against black money to protect his own ill-gotten wealth. He is even planning to enter politics to protect his black money," Panwar alleged. " He had claimed last year that one Uttarakhand minister had asked for Rs 2-crore bribe from him for some favour. If he is so committed to weeding out corruption from India, he should disclose the name of the accused minister."

The outbursts against Ramdev come just days after a Congress MP in Arunachal Pradesh allegedly abused him when he talked about corruption at a spiritual camp at Pasighat in the East Siang district.

Many claimed that the popularity and political clout of Ramdev had made a lot of people jealous and they were now making allegations against him. But they, too, agreed that the baba should disclose his assets.

The yoga guru, however, remained unfazed. Hitting out at his critics, he told the Aaj Tak news channel: "We are ready for any inquiry. The central government has conducted such investigations twice and they are welcome to do so again. Is it a sin to speak about corruption in India?

Five crore people have donated for the development of our ashram. We will hold rallies on February 27 and March 23 in New Delhi against the failure of the Congress government to bring back to India the black money stashed away in foreign banks." His detractors dismissed his aggressive stance as mere posturing and alleged that his ashram was involved in many dubious activities. Baba Hat Yogi said: " In 2006, Mahant Shanker Dev of the Divya Yoga Mandir disappeared under mysterious circumstances. An independent inquiry should be conducted on the missing Mahant." The phenomenal rise in the wealth of the trust run by the yoga guru in the last few years has raised many eyebrows.

According to a rough estimate, the Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust has property worth more than Rs 1,000 crore in Hardwar alone.

These include a 300-bed multi specialty hospital, a yoga research centre, a university, an ayurvedic pharmacy, a food park and a cosmetics manufacturing unit.

Swami Ramdev is even reported to have acquired a Scottish isle for about £ 2 million a few years ago to set up a wellness retreat. According to unconfirmed reports, Patanjali Yogpeeth has also acquired major stakes in the Aastha TV channel.

The channel used to telecast Ramdev's daily yoga classes which helped him become an international figure.

Swami Ramdev's critics demanded to know where the funds to acquire these assets came from.

 Baba Ramdev’s current headquarters, a 500-acre site in Haridwar, is likely to provide the model for Peace Island.

But the extension of Baba Ramdev’s influence is likely to anger his ideological foes.

Rationalist groups have branded his assertion that yoga can treat HIV/Aids and that his breathing techniques can cure cancer as “quackery of the highest order”.

The Indian Medical Association blasted him for giving “false hope to ill people”.

The national spokesperson of the Akhada Parishad, Baba Hat Yogi, informed: "A decade ago, Ramdev used to move on a bicycle. He even had to struggle to find money to fix his punctured cycle. Now he flies on a chopper.
A simple man Baba Ramdev has now turned a yoga guru who possess crores of assets.

Now decide is he worth a leader to fight against corruption ?

Prime Minister's Role

Prime Minister who claims to be honest yet unable to prevent corruption in his govt. is not fit to rule this country.He has not even tried,what a pity,people of india would have supported him in his efforts. He chose an easy way out like the cat drinking milk with eyes closed. India's growth is certainly not due to this govt.it is inspite of it. If Scammohan singh as tagged by newspapres,wished to be remembered,either he quits or sets the house in order. People thank the SuprememCourt for cracking the whip.May be in next 3 yrs PM may have to appear in Supreme court as an accomplice.

Now decide is he worth a leader to fight against corruption ?