Under attack for possessing vast wealth, spiritual guru Ramdev today declared his assets, a move that gave rise to more doubts.
Without mentioning the number of companies he possessed, Ramdev gave the details of his assets only partially, saying net worth of all his assets was around Rs 1,100 crore. At a crowded press conference in Haridwar, Ramdev and his close associate, Balkrishna, said total capital of all his trusts was Rs 426 crore, with the Divya Yog Mandir Trust alone contributing Rs 249 crore. The total capital of Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust is Rs 164.8 crore and Bharat Swabhiman Trust is Rs 10 crore.
Ramdev, however, remained mute when he was repeatedly quizzed about the number of companies he possessed.
He said the medicines manufactured by the trusts were being sold 25-100 per cent cheaper than those companies which have been for long in the market. “All our medicines are being sold in the market at much cheaper rates than others,” he emphasised.
Both Balkrishna and Ramdev denied reports of them having grabbed 120 bighas of land in Haridwar belonging to farmers. When asked about the income tax paid by his trusts, Ramdev did not give a direct reply. Meanwhile, he has agreed to take honey and lemonade on the advice of doctors, after he lost six kilograms of weight in his ongoing hunger strike.
