Baba Ramdev Ends Fast on Ninth Day
Dehradun, Jun 12 (IANS): Nine days after his hunger strike against corruption triggered a political war, yoga guru Baba Ramdev broke his fast here Sunday on the appeal of spiritual leaders.
But a close aide quoted Ramdev as saying that while he was ending his hunger strike, he would continue to struggle against corruption and black money "till my last breath".
One of the first to break the news was Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the Art of Living founder who had been engaged in efforts to persuade Ramdev, who had been hospitalized, to give up his protest.
"Baba Ramdev has ended his fast. He has taken (fruit) juice," he told reporters here after meeting the yoga guru Sunday for a third time.
Ramdev was shifted to the Jolly Grant hospital here Friday after his condition worsened after he had kept away from solid food for about a week to demand that black money stashed by Indians abroad be seized.
Although doctors said his condition remained stable, they added after the announcement of end of fast that he would not be discharged immediately.
"We will shift him to the general ward and keep him under observation for one or two days," said a doctor.
"Once we feel he has regained strength to walk, we will discharge him."
Ramdev supporters gathered in large numbers outside the hospital repeatedly shouted slogans hailing the yoga guru when it became known that he had ended his fast begun in New Delhi June 4 morning.
Acharya Balkrishan, a close aide, said Ramdev, who had rejected all previous appeals to end the hunger strike, relented due to further appeals Sunday by Ravi Shankar, Morari Bapu and others.
But Ramdev was quoted as saying: "I am ending the fast on the appeal of holy people. But I am taking a vow to take forward the struggle (against corruption) till the my last breath."