Articles by ecothrust at Technorati Headline Animator

Sunday, June 5, 2011

India Government Panics, Cracks Down As Anti-Corruption Rally Swells.

http://bit.ly/7XwAG

In a stunning reversal, the Government of India suddenly cracked down on anti -corruption campaigners  using brute force to disperse a 100,000 strong non-violent fasting crowd at midnight of Saturday. Teargas and water cannons were reportedly used and lathi charge done on women and children by a desperate administration wanting  to evict the swelling crowds from Delhi's Ram Lila Grounds,before it went out o\f control. The non-violent fast and protest meet was tobe held in around 650 centers across India and abroad by Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev and his followers on the following day. The sleeping protesters were attacked by the Police in a mid night drama at 1.30 a.m. with tear gas and water cannons and lathi charge that injured 60 people and 2 seriously. A 40 year old woman  has been  paralysed with serious injuries and a 30 year old youth fighting for life are the result of police brutalities witnessed that night at Ramlila Grounds. 



 The Government who had sent a  4 member ministerial team to negotiate with anti-corruption crusader Baba Ramdev only a day ago, forcibly removed  him and his followers using police force in the front of Television cameras covering the event. The Baba whose ayurveda medicine camps have millions of users has a tremendous following in rural India and is also revered worldwide for his simple natural therapy that works. The possible provocation to the Govt came possibly from the increasingly large arrivals each hour and the Baba's refusal to call of the protest despite the Govt bending its back to meet several of his conditions.

 This use of force has pitted the Government against a large section of  the rural population who despite being troubled by the price rise had not been extremely vocal at Anna Hazare's anti corruption campaign that gathered steam a few months ago. The Anna  Hazare movement had a huge backing from the educated and urban  youth besides intellectuals from the left and the right. The Baba's rural following just adds a digit to the protesting population and increases the embattled Government  woes. Over have a dozen mega-scams have already taken toll of several ministers of the Government with several others close to in diction. The Congress and its ally the DMK lost a major electoral battle in the state of Tamilnadu recently from where several corruption cases had emerged.  . The Supreme Court, the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) and several other independent bodies have already questioned the Government repeatedly on its handling of finances since the last few years.

Now with the major opposition parties and civil society coming together to support Baba Ramdev the Government is trying to defend itself by maligning the Yoga Guru.  Surprisingly they are using the Enforcement Department ED to open tax violation cases against him, without bothering to see that their can be no credibility of  such action simply because their own ministerial delegation was  discussing with him the issue of bringing back black-money into the country a few days ago. The courts will sooner or later turn down the action as  vindictive, and India's very independent and vibrant  Press will haul the Government over the coals over such discriminatory behavior.  incident. 

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