Ramdev's fast a 'five-star satyagraha': Digvijaya Singh

Taking a dig at his luxurious lifestyle, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Saturday described Baba Ramdev's fast against corruption a "five-star satyagraha" and urged social activist Anna Hazare to reconsider his decision to join the yoga guru.

Taking a dig at his luxurious lifestyle, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Saturday described Baba Ramdev's fast against corruption a "five-star satyagraha" and urged social activist Anna Hazare to reconsider his decision to join the yoga guru.

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Singh also questioned Ramdev's "strong affiliations with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)" and urged Hazare, who is a Gandhian, to reconsider his decision to side with Ramdev.

"Anna Hazare is Gandhian in thoughts and that is known to everyone. Now if the same man wants to support Ramdev's fast, which is clearly affiliated to the RSS, he should reconsider," the senior leader said.

"The foot soldiers in the fast are from the RSS. It is evident that he (Ramdev) is piggybacking on the RSS," he said.

Singh strongly criticised Ramdev for his lifestyle and creature comforts organised at the venue of his hunger-strike.

"The Baba travels in a private jet, stays in a five-star luxury hotel, and has the money for such arrangements before going on a fast. This is surely a five-star satyagraha as you doubt his credibility," Singh said.

"He is unaware of the issues that are at the core of running a government. Not every country can be declared as a 'tax haven'," he said, adding that Ramdev should first "get his facts right".

The yoga guru began his fast on Saturday morning at the capital's Ramlila Ground.

He has been demanding that the government take urgent steps to bring back black money stashed abroad by Indians and also take effective measures to curb rampant graft in the country.