BJP supports Ramdev's movement: Gadkari

The Bharatiya Janata Party today backed Baba Ramdev's movement against black money, with the yoga guru meeting party president Nitin Gadkari at his residence in New Delhi.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday backed Baba Ramdev's movement against black money, with the yoga guru meeting party president Nitin Gadkari at his residence in New Delhi.

"Baba Ramdev's fight against black money is very important. We as the party support Baba Ramdev in this andolan (movement). This is an agitation above party lines; this is for the benefit of the country," Gadkari said after the meeting on Monday.

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The BJP president also bowed down to touch Ramdev's feet. He later said it was a gesture of respect and he was following Indian culture.

The two, however, ruled out any political motive behind the meeting.

"This movement is not against any political party. It is for the benefit of the nation," Ramdev said.

He said he had also sought time from Congress president Sonia Gandhi and leaders of 10 other political parties.

"I will be meeting AB Bardhan (Communist Party of India) on 15th (June), Prakash Karat (Communist Party of India - Marxist) day after tomorrow, Sharad Yadav (Janata Dal - United) on 7th, and have also sought time from Chandrababu Naidu (TDP) and Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena)," Ramdev said.

The meeting comes a day after Ramdev, along with anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare, sat on a day-long fast at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.

Meanwhile, Gadkari said Sonia Gandhi should "rise above politics" and support the civil society's anti-corruption movement.

"I will request Sonia Gandhi ... she should understand that this movement is not against any political party... She should rise above politics to save the country and support this movement. Bringing black money back is in favour of the nation," Gadkari said.

As per reports, the Congress president, at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meet on Monday morning, defended Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying that the opposition and the civil society were conspiring with anti-Congress elements to undermine the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, the prime minister and senior ministers.