Ramdev returns

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev is gearing up for another protest against corruption on June 3. This dharna will be held exactly a year after he was unceremoniously evicted from Ramlila Maidan by the Delhi Police. But this time the venue, where one can expect some action, is Jantar Mantar.

It is said that Ramdev has sought permission from Delhi Police to hold a one-day protest from 10 am to 6 pm. However, sources said he has not received the go-ahead yet.

The BIG ‘Bash': The government and the local police had to face criticism from all quarters over forcible eviction of Ramdev and his supporters from Ramlila Maidan last year. File pic

It is believed that cops have laid out some conditions before Ramdev and will grant him the permission only if he agrees to abide by them. Sources said the police have made it clear that it won't give its consent if Ramdev gets more than 5,000 protesters. Ramdev hasn't responded to the stipulation set by the cops so far.

However, Rajan Bhagat, spokesperson of Delhi Police denied having any idea about the dharna.

This day, that year
On the night of June 4 last year, Ramdev, along with his supporters, were evicted from the Ramlila Ground. The crackdown, which continued for over three hours, resulted in the detention of the yoga guru, and he had to be taken to Haridwar by air.

The government and the local police had to face criticism from all quarters over his forcible eviction. During the crackdown, about 50 people, including some police personnel, were injured. Also, a 52-year-old woman sustained severe injuries and later died.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court had slammed the police's role in the crackdown and had ordered to file an FIR against Delhi Police personnel for engaging in violence.u00a0