Swami Ramdev supporters arrested for
attacking CPI(M) office

    New Delhi: Supporters of yoga guru Swami Ramdev tried to attack the CPI(M) headquarters in Delhi on Thursday morning. About 40 people have been arrested and security has been increased around the CPI(M)'s office. However, no damage was done in the attempted attack on the office in central Delhi. This follows a charge by senior CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat that the medicines sold by the guru's pharmacy in Haridwar had traces of animal and human remains. CPI(M) workers, who had feared such an attack, were able to prevent damage and injuries. Meanwhile, the CPI(M) in Kolkata is planning protests across the state on Thursday evening.

Ramdev's supporters slam Left for character assassination

    Meerut/Ludhiana/Nasik: Protests by supporters of Baba Ramdev against senior CPI (M) leader Brinda Karat continued across India on Thursday. Swami Ramdev, claims to cure illnesses through breathing exercises and traditional medicines. But Brinda Karat this week accused him of using human and animal extracts in his medicines, provoking a strong denial from Ramdev and angry protests by his supporters. In Meerut hundreds of followers of Ramdev burnt effigies of Karat saying she targeted Hinduism by taking on the Guru. Elsewhere in Ludhiana, dozens of activists of All India Anti Terrorist Front also staged a protest in support of Baba Ramdev. Baba Ramdev, on his part, while addressing a news conference in Nasik, sought an apology from Karat.

Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss for probe

    Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said the tests confirmed traces of animal substance in one sample, but since the ministry did not collect them, an inquiry would be conducted with new samples. The Guru has a large following amongst the young and old alike who believe that he has amalgamated spirituality, yoga and Ayurveda, the Indian system of medicine for the spiritual and physical betterment of the people.

MNCs opposed to people like me and Ramdev: Lalu Yadav

    New Delhi: Coming out in support of Guru Ramdev, RJD supremo and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav today said multinationals were after those who propagate an indigenous cause. "MNCs are opposed to people like me and Ramdev. They are against those who propagate indigenous cause," he said. He also said that samples should be tested to reveal the truth. "So long as the herbal medicines added life to years, it hardly mattered whether it contained bones of manav ya danav (human beings or devils)", Lalu said. Ramdev is in the midst of a controversy following an allegation made by CPI-M leader Brinda Karat that animal and human parts were found in samples of herbal medicines prepared by his pharmacy in Haridwar. Karat had alleged that Ramdev's medicines not only contained animal and human parts, but also violated licensing and labelling provisions. Charging the CPI-M leader with acting at the behest of multi- national companies, Ramdev said her allegations were part of a conspiracy to defame his mission and asked the government to probe the matter. Meanwhile, supporters of Ramdev clashed with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) activists at the Left party office in New Delhi prompting the police to resort to a mild baton charge.