BJP attacks P Chidambaram for Ramlila crackdown

NEW DELHI: The death of Rajbala, the 51-year-old follower of Baba Ramdev who was grievously injured in the midnight crackdown ordered by the Delhi Police on June 5 at the Ramlila Ground, has given the BJP another weapon to beat the Manmohan Singh government with.

The cremation of Rajbala's body at her hometown in Sonepat was sought to be converted into a political event, with Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, accompanied by Smriti Malhotra-Irani, president of the BJP's women's wing, making it a point to travel to the cremation ground to commiserate with the family members.

Baba Ramdev, too, was there, and he took the opportunity to hit out at the Centre, and the Delhi Police, for trampling on the rights of people.

In keeping with its stand, the BJP singled out Union home minister P Chidambaram for ordering the Delhi Police to attack the innocent protesters. "The home minister must clarify who ordered the action at the Ramlila Ground," asked party spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman.

Rajbala's death, in fact, gave the BJP another opportunity to corner Chidambaram, who is already under attack from the entire Opposition for his alleged failure to stop former telecom minister A Raja from going ahead with the sale of UAS licences and spectrum at 2001 prices. Rajbala fate, in fact, was touted by the BJP as another example of his failure as the country's home minister.

Ramdev, who was dumped from the Ramlila Ground on the midnight of June 5 and the Capital turned out-of-bounds for him thereafter, sought to get back at the Manmohan government. Describing his supporter's death as an ultimate sacrifice, the yoga guru said Rajbala's death was not a normal one and the central government should take the responsibility.

"There should be legal inquiry. The Centre should give answers. Any government who does not abide by Constitutional and moral rights, they do not deserve to be in power," he said.