The government is not engaged in any "back door" dialogue with yoga guru Ramdev, who went an indefinite fast on the issue of repatriation of black money, Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily today said.
"There is no back door and open door talks with any one. Whether it is Ramdev or anyone," he told reporters here.
However, Moily evaded reply when asked whether the government has sought the help of Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravishankar for negotiations with the yoga guru to end his eight-day old agitation.
Offering his clarifications on a reported statement by Ravishankar that he had been asked to hold talks with Ramdev, Moily said "Sri Sri Ravishankar spoke to me from Berlin and also upon his return to the country and asked me what is happening. He expressed his concern over what is happening and said he would speak to Ramdev."
Moily said told him that since he would be visiting Haridwar to perform certain pooja for his father who passed away recently he would ask Ramdev why he "reneged" on his promise to call off the fast despite the government accepting all his demands.
"Sri Sri asked me whether he can cite my name during talks with Ramdev to which I agreed," Moily said.
On being insisted for a clear response on whether Ravishankar was the government emissary, Moily remarked "I don't want to get into any kind of controversy. I have no comments on such things."
