India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev on Monday refused to get off a DTC bus on his way to Bawana on the outskirts of the capital, demanding that Delhi Police detain all, or at least 10,000 of his supporters. "I can't be taken to Bawana alone, detain all my ten thousand supporters," he said. With all supporters of the yoga guru gathering around the bus, it stopped moving. Television reports said that there was a possibility of Delhi Police moving Baba Ramdev and his supporters in to the Ambedekar Stadium for the night. Delhi Police had earlier this afternoon taken Baba Ramdev and his supporters into preventive custody at the Ranjit Singh flyover during the attempted march to Parliament. "We will continue to fight this government... that is our strategy now...," said Baba Ramdev after submitting himself to be taken into police custody. Baba Ramdev, in his trademark red robes and a black band of protest on his forehead, also asked his supporters not to resort to violence. "We had decided that we would make the government hear our voices by a hunger strike. We were marching peacefully, now the police have stopped us. We respect the law," said Baba Ramdev before being arrested. "The Delhi Police has to listen to the government, they are puppets. Congress' hand is not with us; these cops now say they will take me away," he added. Baba Ramdev was earlier denied permission for the march by the Delhi Police. Delhi Police had brought in more additional forces to clear the crowd that has gathered around Baba Ramdev. Baba Ramdev, who secured the support of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and brought them on his platform at the Ramlila Maidan here today, earlier in the day declared that he would take his ongoing protest on black money and corruption to Parliament and vowed to oust Congress in the next Lok Sabha polls. Baba Ramdev said that the aim of his protest is to ensure that no ' dishonest person enters Parliament' following the Lok Sabha elections in 2014. The yoga guru, who is having the support of the National Democratic Alliance parties in his mission has, however, denies having any 'political agenda'. Baba Ramdev's last outing at the Ramlila Maidan, in June last year, saw a midnight police crackdown with authorities claiming that he violated norms agreed upon. He was caught by police, while trying to flee from the protesting venue in a woman's attire.

Ramdev refuses to get off bus, demands arrest of supporters