The yogi vs the Left

REGIONAL ROUNDUP

Did the Swami Ramdev-Brinda Karat face-off have anything to do with geography? While most Hindi newspapers in the north carried the news on the front page, the skirmish got little coverage down south. However, one thing was common "" most regional newspapers refrained from passing a judgement on the issue and merely reported the news and marches in support and protest of either protagonist of the controversy.

Hindi dailies gave equal coverage to the cold wave gripping north India and the phone-tapping controversy involving Amar Singh. Rajasthan Patrika, on January 9, had an interview with CPI-M leader Brinda Karat on how she would not back out and stand by the allegations she had made against Ramdev. Apart from this exclusive, the newspaper had the usual pictures of protest or support marches such as the one of CPI-M women protesting against Ramdev cocking a snook at labour laws, and news on how the Centre will look at other pharma companies that are into manufacturing ayurvedic drugs.

Dainik Jagran had an article on the edit page on January 10 stating that Karat's allegations against Ramdev would make him unpopular. A day before, it had a front page news item on how Ramdev had declared that the medicines from his pharmacy would now carry labels. Like Patrika, Jagran, too, had an article on the edit page stating Karat's allegations were part of a conspiracy against Ramdev.

Punjab Kesri's edit page had an article proclaiming that the Communist party would do anything to get a foothold in north India. A special editorial on the front page requested Ramdev to learn a lesson from the yoga that he preached and beef up his pharmacy administration. Dainik Bhaskar covered the issue on the front page on most days. A headline on January 8 claimed that Karat was using the laying-off of employees in Ramdev's Hardwar pharmacy as an excuse.

Tamil daily Dinamalar did not carry any news item relating to the skirmish, except on January 11, when it carried a news story saying that All India Anti Terrorist Front Chairman Maninderjit Singh Bitta had criticised Karat that she had damaged the reputation of Ramdev. While seeking CBI inquiry into the allegations made by Karat, Bitta had appealed to the government to provide Z-Plus security as multinational corporations and Pakistan's ISI were plotting against Ramdev, the report stated. Telugu dailies were muted in their coverage of the controversy. While Andhra Jyothi carried the statement of Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss confirming the allegations on page two last week, Eenadu relegated the news to page six.