UPA flayed for eviction of Ramdev

BHUBANESWAR: Criticising the UPA Government for forcibly evicting Baba Ramdev from Ramlila grounds in Delhi, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday said the action taken at the peaceful meeting was “shocking, draconian and undemocratic”. “The action taken last night at Ramdev’s peaceful meeting was shocking and draconian,” Patnaik told mediapersons here. Naveen said that the Centre had behaved in a most undemocratic manner at Ramdev’s peaceful meeting. Puri Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb has also condemned it. In a statement, the Gajapati said that he had been shocked by the atrocities committed against Baba Ramdev and his followers.  Describing Ramdev as a saint, the Gajapati said that he was leading a peaceful protest for the welfare of Indian society at large in an apolitical manner. He has appealed to the people to maintain peace and harmony. Meanwhile, the eviction evoked widespread protests from across Orissa with BJP and other outfits staging demonstrations and road blockades at several places. While BJP announced a satyagraha against the action dubbing it as “brutal and undemocratic”, activists of the saffron party’s Yuva Morcha staged a demonstration and blocked the road at Ram Mandir square here. Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) also staged a demonstration near Master Canteen square.