Ramdev to PM: Do not repeat June 4 crackdown

Yoga guru Ramdev, who along with his supporters faced police crackdown during their agitation at Ramlila Maidan, today wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asking him to exercise "self restraint" and ensure that similar action was not taken against Anna Hazare and his team.

Yoga guru Ramdev, who along with his supporters faced police crackdown during their agitation at Ramlila Maidan, on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asking him to exercise "self restraint" and ensure that similar action was not taken against Anna Hazare and his team.

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As confrontation between the Hazare and government escalated after police denied permission to the Gandhian for holding a fast from Tuesday to press for a strong lokpal bill, Ramdev, in his letter to the Prime Minister, said such protests should not be "crushed" through unconstitutional and undemocratic means.

"We would expect that you will exercise self-restraint and not allow a repeat of what happened against us on the midnight of June 4 at the Ramlila Maidan," the yoga guru said.

Delhi Police's refusal of permission coincided with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's strong remarks in his Independence Day speech that hunger strikes and fasts-unto-death do not help address the problem of corruption and Parliament is the only body to form legislations to curb the menace.