Goa Bachao group accuses Ramdev of being unethical

A leading civil society group in Goa has taken affront to the name of a new anti-corruption movement started by Baba Ramdev in Panaji, accusing the yoga guru of being unethical.

A leading civil society group in Goa has taken affront to the name of a new anti-corruption movement started by Baba Ramdev in Panaji, accusing the yoga guru of being unethical.

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Sabina Martins, convenor of the Goa Bachao Abhiyaan (GBA), a civil society group which has been campaigning for a well-intentioned land use law since 2007, has said the 'new' Goa Bachao Abhiyaan launched by Ramdev during his two-day visit to Goa Saturday was an attempt to usurp the original group's heritage.

"It is surprising and disappointing to note the press reports that Baba Ramdev finds the need to use exactly this name - Goa Bachao Abhiyaan - and acronym 'GBA' for itself and its activities, which are stated to be political and are to be increased in the run-up to the Goa assembly elections," Martins told IANS.

"It is unethical and legally not tenable to use the name of an existing organisation. This unethical practice existed in the last elections and it is unfortunate that Baba Ramdev is replicating the same despite having a following," she said.

Ramdev Saturday launched a Goa Bachao Abhiyaan ahead of the state assembly polls next year. Ramdev had said real estate, illegal mining and drug mafias in Goa had to be dealt with severely.

"People were saying what will you call the new forum in Goa. I said let us call it Goa Bachao Abhiyaan because there are so many issues which need to be handled comprehensively," Ramdev had said.

The 'original' Goa Bachao Abhiyaan was launched by civil society groups in 2004 after the government proposed to pass a regional land use plan, which was loaded in favour of the real estate lobby.