Indian yogi Baba Ramdev fasts against corruption

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13652185 ^ | 4 June 2011

[mandrake]

Popular Indian yogi Baba Ramdev has started an indefinite fast in a bid to prompt the government to enact hard-hitting anti-corruption measures.

The yogi, whose daily TV programme is watched by millions, began his fast after cabinet ministers failed to convince him to call it off.

Baba Ramdev wants the government to recover "black money" - suspected bribes held in foreign bank accounts.

He called for the death penalty for corrupt government officials.

"There is a powerful anger in the people of this country. They want urgent action," he said.

If "black money" paid in bribes were recovered, he told supporters in Delhi as he began his fast, "no one will be hungry, uneducated, unemployed".

[mandrake]

Swami kicks ass

[IndianChief]

There's supposed to be about $1.8 trillion stashed away by Indians in tax havens.

[James C. Bennett]

The real lesson is in reducing taxes. It’s like the Prohibition era when banning alcohol boosted crime syndicates who dealt with illicit alcohol, here in the US.

[mandrake]

Is he for real or a attention freak?

[James C. Bennett]

Most likely an attention freak.

[toothfairy86]

I don’t know how this guy is fasting, but I know several Hindus who “fast” by only eating bananas, nuts and milk. I think you can live for a good while like that.

[IndianChief]

Taxes are nowhere near what they used to be. While there is still scope for reduction, it is the lack of punishment even if caugfht, that is actually the root cause of corruption - mainly by pols and the beurocrats (sp?).

While he may be an attention seeker, there is no denying his popularity because of his Yoga lessons. He took to yoga when he himself was cured of a childhood paralysis by yoga.

As far as I am concerned, more power to him.

[sukhoi-30mki]

While there’s no denying the issue, what people fail to see is that this sort of televised ultimatums will be used by all and sundry to get what they want.

Tomorrow it will be the Shiv Sena and its bumpkins going on a mass fast to throw North Indians out of Mumbai. If Ramdev can call for spreading Hindi, what prevents from the Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu (currently licking their wounds) from resorting to the anti-Hindi politics of the 60s?? What about the pro-Telangana groups who will use the same method to throw out all Andhraites and other communities from their territory? Can we rein in the Hurriyat and parties like the NSCN-IM and various Manipuri outfits if they did the same. What makes the chattering classes think that none of this will happen.

The extent of emotional blackmail being used is being lost in this frenzy which will paralyse India, if not shatter it.

[sukhoi-30mki]

Two rather sober articles from right-leaning journalists

http://www.dailypioneer.com/343469/Not-the-way-to-fight-graft.html

http://www.dailypioneer.com/343566/India-cant-be-ruled-by-NGOs.html