When satyagrahis woke up to a nightmare

New Delhi, June 5
Using brute force, the Delhi Police cleared the Ramalila Grounds of satyagrahis by slapping, kicking, manhandling protesters and lobbing tear gas shells, amid unprecedented scenes. But for the calm and composed followers of yoga guru Baba Ramdev, the night could have been very different had they reacted with vengeance.
Past midnight on Sunday, at the yoga camp-turned-protest venue the followers of the Baba were fast asleep at their designated places in the dusty environs. The area was dimly lit and electric fans were adding to that sultry feeling.
Except for an odd worker discussing the state of the nation with scribes waiting for a bite as the UPA Government had sent a letter and a few policemen were hovering around the periphery, it was just an ordinary night.

Half-a-dozen volunteers at the reception were greeting walk-in visitors. “Please register. It will enable us to communicate,” said a girl, sitting at Delhi counter. Rajasthan, Haryana counters were empty.
“We are here to protest and express our anguish,” said a student from JNU armed with a chart paper and paint and slogans. “If they give permission, we can make some posters. But that will have to wait for the morning after the yoga,” he added.
But the Delhi Police had a lot different in store. And so did the UPA Government, after HRD Minister Kapil Sibal released a letter by the Baba’s spokesperson that smacked of a candid deal between the two warring sides.
Around 1 am, a large posse of cops marched in from the main gate of the Maidan. More cops swooned in from other gates. There was a lurking suspicion of impending danger. But it would expose the brutality of the police to such an extent was unimaginable.
The police had withdrawn permission for holding yoga camp and imposed prohibitory orders. The cops ascended on the stage but the Baba managed to slip from there and land amid his supporters. “I am here amidst you all and will be here till the end,” he said, climbing on the tough shoulders of his supporters.

A team of female supporters from Guru’s Ashram in Haridwar formed a human cordon around him. The voice on the public address system reverberated the grounds. “Say Om,” Baba chanted with the crowd responding in unison.
Hundreds of followers surrounded the Guru. The cops were faced with a daunting task and with rolling TV cameras, it was impossible to resort to harsh measures. But regardless, the police personnel started pulling and dragging the sea of humanity. Pulling one by one, angry cops started hitting the people unmindful of rolling cameras.
“Please do not hurt any cop. They are also our brothers and sisters. I am with you. Nobody will create any ruckus,” Baba Ramdev urged the congregation. But the cops wanted to end the agony fast. A young cop pulled a protester and threw him in the melee. Another one caught and hurled an old man carrying the Indian flag. “Leave the flag. This is not going to save you,” a cop said. But the old man did not give up. He was jostled away.
Meanwhile an ACP rank officer with an inspector and four policemen beat up a volunteer manning the public address system. A few others protested but the damage was done. There was utter confusion.
A TV cameraman filming the scene was pulled to a side by a police officer. “You go from here,” the official ordered the cameraman. Alone, he just withdrew from the scene. A police officer caught an arm of this reporter and pulled him away. Meanwhile the Baba again was taken on the stage. The cops trailing the Yoga guru started throwing people down.
But when things weren’t improving, the cops fired tear gas shells. The volunteers just crumpled like a pack of cards. There was dust and smoke all around. The Baba was last seen on stage by this reporter.
LNJP Hospital doctors were quoted as claiming 30 injured. Unofficially, the figure could have been more. Delhi Police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said Baba Ramdev was detained as he was leaving the site. He was not leaving the site but was made to leave after the Government pulled him down forcing him to change his clothes possibility indicating the start of a long drawn battle.