After the Centre’s refusal to hold any talks, yoga guru Ramdev today broke his nine-day fast but said his satyagraha against corruption would continue till “last breath”.
Amidst the company of a host of political leaders and seers that included Ravi Shankar and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Ramdev broke the fast by taking a glass of juice. An announcement to this effect was made by Ravi Shankar in front of the hospital where he had made several attempts to break the fast yesterday,too.
The move came at a time when hospital doctors called for urgent intake of food, as Ramdev’s pulse rate and blood pressure failed to show any signs of improvement. “During the night, the blood pressure went down several times,” a doctor at the Himalayan Hospital said.
Despite the Centre’s hardened attitude for not holding any talks with the yoga guru, aides of Ramdev tried to put up a brave front claiming the whole country was standing behind him.
“This fast is just the beginning of a long battle. We are not going to get disheartened by the Centre’s negative attitude. Our war against corruption will continue,” said Balkrishan, a close aide of Ramdev.
Balkrishan said “Ramdev ji will continue his satyagraha against corruption till the last breath.”
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“At times, we have to put our vehicle on reverse gear to get out of a traffic jam. Now that we have come out of the jam, we will speed up (agitation),” said another aide.
After the announcement made by Ravi Shankar, supporters of Ramdev shouted slogans in his favour and pledged to uproot corruption from the country.
Doctors said the condition of Ramdev was stable and he would remain in the hospital for another two to three days.
Earlier in the morning, a string of politicians that included Badal, former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala and spiritual leader Murari Bapu went to the hospital and urged Ramdev to break his fast.
There was also pressure from the RSS, which had made a public appeal to Ramdev for breaking the fast. Ramdev was also facing stinging criticism from the Congress and others for continuing the fast. A section of seers had described Ramdev as a “coward” after he tried to “escape” from Ramlila Ground at New Delhi in salwar-kameez.
Ramdev was shifted to the Himalayan Hospital on Friday after he fainted due to dehydration and falling blood pressure soon after agreeing to take lemonade and honey. Last week, he was sent to Dehra Dun’s Jolly Grant airport from New Delhi after the police crackdown on Ramlila ground where he was fasting along with thousands of his supporters.