UPA warms up to Ramdev: tax chief briefs him,Kamal Nath vows support

The government is taking some pre-emptive action to keep the yoga guru in good humour.

Anna Hazares fast at Jantar Mantar forced an embarrassed UPA to set up an unprecedented joint committee to draft the Lokpal Bill. But when it comes to Baba Ramdevs fast against corruption planned from June 4 the government is taking some pre-emptive action to keep the yoga guru in good humour.

Income-tax officials,including Central Board of Direct Taxes chief Sudhir Chandra,were sent to brief Ramdev last week on corruption,black money allegedly stashed abroad,and the corrective steps proposed,including amendments in the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Sources said these officials also explained to Baba Ramdev the legal hurdles in tax havens and the steps being taken by the government to recover black money. This meeting,sources said,went on late into the night.

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The yoga teacher plans to hold a Satyagrah Against Corruption with about 150,000 followers at Ramlila Maidan in the capital and an estimated 1 crore people throughout the country to force the government to act on corruption-related issues.

He has called for a ban on high denomination currency notes,which he says is a reason for corruption. He also wants the death penalty for corrupt officials.

Meanwhile,Union Minister Kamal Nath today offered his and the governments support to Ramdev. Just last week,senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh had taken a swipe at Baba Ramdev urging him to call off his fast saying no one would come to help him break it.

However,Nath attended Ramdevs early morning camp in Chhindwara,his Lok Sabha constituency. He also invited the yoga guru to his house. Nath said that corruption was a challenge before the country and a big stain.

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Naths support came a day after MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan attended a similar camp in Betul where he announced his support to the Babas fast.