At Maidan,all signs are clear: Baba wants to dwarf Anna

The maidan,the setting for the Ramdev fast,dwarfs the locale for Anna Hazare’s,and that is a huge understatement. The numbers being bandied about are meant to inspire shock and awe,and if the four-member team of senior ministers that received him at the airport was any indication,Ramdev has found his target.

He has just finished 1 lakh km in the 9-month-long “anti-corruption” yatra that started in Dwarka and came to an end today in Ujjain,said Ramdev. During the yatra,he claimed he made “personal contact” with 10 crore people and 1 crore karyakartas were involved in the exercise. Another crore will go on fast alongwith him on Saturday,and that number will altogether swell into many more crores,said Ramdev. Already,about 50 lakh have responded to his “missed call” sms-campaign,he claimed.

The satyagraha/fast/aandolan that begins Saturday will not be called off,pledged Ramdev. He has booked the Ram Lila ground for a month,he said. By all accounts,he has also expanded his list of demands to ensure that the show of strength goes on till a moment of his own choosing — and even if the government were to surrender.

Ramdev’s primary demand of “bringing back black money” — all “Rs 400 lakh crore” of it allegedly stashed away in illegal accounts abroad — has been extended into an all-encompassing list.

It includes: impounding of properties of the corrupt and punishment for them,only life imprisonment or capital punishment,pronounced by courts set up specially to try the corrupt at the Centre and in the states within one year; a public service delivery guarantee law to be enacted at the Centre; reform of the land acquisition act and replacement of minimum support price to the farmer by a pricing system based on cost of inputs.

That’s not all. Ramdev wants an overhaul of the educational system to ensure that English is replaced by local languages in medical and engineering colleges. Also,electoral reform,including state funding of elections,compulsory voting and direct election of prime minister. And,almost as afterthought,a strong and independent Lok Pal.

Even on black money,Ramdev continues to raise the bar: “Since the government cannot make a law because Parliament is not in session,there must be an ordinance”,he said. But,he pointed out,even an ordinance won’t really be enough,because “the country wants action” that is “decisive” and “foolproof” and “time-bound” and goes “step-by step”.

“We know these things will take time” said Ramdev,with undisguised relish at the prospect of calling the shots till he himself decides to put a full stop to the Ramdev Show.

“You can see the elaborate arrangements here,the ground can hold more than 2 lakh people at a time,” he said. “This ground has been booked for one month,and we will extend it,as my fast will continue till there is 100 per cent agreement on the demands. Honorable Anna Hazare would also join me in the Satyagrah.”

While the Delhi Police say the Yoga Guru has permission to address a gathering of 5,000 persons for a “yoga shivir” between the June 1-20,the spectacle of a huge expanse covered by the overhead shamiana seems to suggest otherwise.

“We have been told that Ramdev is organising a yoga camp and it could see a congregation of 7,000-8,000 people. Some of them would be coming from other states and will be staying in the camps put up in the premises of Ramlila Maidan,” said Vivek Kishore,Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central district).

At the Ramlila Maidan,workers are digging to instal at least 500 taps to supply drinking water,close to 850 fans and coolers. The arrangements also include 5 LED screens,an estimated 1,000 toilets and 100 bedded residential tents. (with Geeta Gupta,Dipankar Ghose)