Why Baba Ramdev lost the plot
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/why-baba-ramdev-lost-the-plot/articleshow/8817394.cms
Sages say what comes easy goes faster. The wave of support came too easy for Ramdev. He did little to earn it. The public sentiment was more anti-government than pro-Ramdev.
Perhaps this is why he couldn't handle it. The campaign suddenly became bigger than Ramdev or his aides had conceived. Earlier last week, many expected him to put final touches to a victory. Instead they found him floundering: unable to handle the media or garner support on his home turf.
A combination of both factors derailed Ramdev's plans. The jury is out on his financial probity, his trusts and his companies. But the very fact that such questions were raised seemed to disqualify him as a leader of a campaign against corruption. ET on Sunday analyses how Ramdev unravelled his own game with blow by blow accounts from his ashram Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar.
It began to go downhill on Wednesday. During one of his customary public appearances at the yogyashala, an open-air auditorium, Ramdev claimed he would launch an 11,000-strong force for self-defence. It was unclear if he meant an 'armed' force.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/why-baba-ramdev-lost-the-plot/articleshow/8817394.cms
12 JUN, 2011, 05.57AM IST, AVINASH CELESTINE & SOMA BANERJEE,ET BUREAU
Like a profligate, Baba Ramdev blew it away. Last Sunday, he was handed a winning situation on a platter: the government ordered a police raid on the Ramlila grounds to evict him and hundreds of followers.
The result was unthinkable: Baba won the support of not just his believers but also his detractors. The public outcry had UPA running for cover.
Eight days later, it is Ramdev who wishes he could hide. Right now, he is recovering in Dehradun's Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences. Doctors say he is stable, though speaking with difficulty. No longer in the intensive care unit, he has been shifted to a VIP room to recuperate. But Ramdev's campaign continues to be in deep trouble.
Perhaps this is why he couldn't handle it. The campaign suddenly became bigger than Ramdev or his aides had conceived. Earlier last week, many expected him to put final touches to a victory. Instead they found him floundering: unable to handle the media or garner support on his home turf.
A combination of both factors derailed Ramdev's plans. The jury is out on his financial probity, his trusts and his companies. But the very fact that such questions were raised seemed to disqualify him as a leader of a campaign against corruption. ET on Sunday analyses how Ramdev unravelled his own game with blow by blow accounts from his ashram Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar.
Naive Comments to the Media
But Ramdev did claim constitutional backing for the right to self-defence: "We all have this right. Don't people across the country learn judo and karate? This is perfectly legal. We will raise a force of young people like that." He added: "We will not assault any one. But neither will we be assaulted."
And then came a statement which exemplified his naivete: "I know my media friends won't twist my words. I have full confidence in them." Whether twisted or not, the channels reported those words widely.
Pushed to be Defensive
By Thursday, events turned farcical. Everyone had been told that Baba and Acharya Balkrishna would address the media, till then both had been relatively inaccessible. At about 6.15 pm, they appeared together.
In contrast to Ramdev, who is more comfortable talking to large supporters, Balkrishna seemed more media savvy. Dressed in white (the garb of a brahmachari), he constantly viewed news channels to be updated on developments at the Centre. Balkrishna wanted to be ready with the next move even while talking on the mobile phone.
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Narayan (Bangalore)
Those who throw stones should not be inside the glass house. If his transactions had been huge, there are possibilities of some being doubtful. When you drink milk under a palm tree, people may think it is toddy. Hence a rich baba is vulnerable. He was thus not the right person for it. Credibility gets easily questioned. The media is after tamasha for TRPs. Baba can do a lot where his credibility lies. If he takes up a andolan for cleansing water bodies of the country or pollution, and adulteration of food, because they are health issues, he will find a better match with his credibility. These are equally important and ignored issues. In the case of corruption, he is playing a me too game after seeing Anna's popularity. Black money was another dimension in the same cluster of issues as Lokpal. Lokpal was a mechanism for initiating effective questioning and investigation when the people raise the issue to the Lokpal. Baba also mixed many unconnected issues such as GM food, and half baked solutions on which other experts disagreed. One andolan can have only one issue. If you bring a second issue, there will be 4 combinations. If you bring 3 issues there will be 8 combinations. So true consensus will be difficult.
Those who throw stones should not be inside the glass house. If his transactions had been huge, there are possibilities of some being doubtful. When you drink milk under a palm tree, people may think it is toddy. Hence a rich baba is vulnerable. He was thus not the right person for it. Credibility gets easily questioned. The media is after tamasha for TRPs. Baba can do a lot where his credibility lies. If he takes up a andolan for cleansing water bodies of the country or pollution, and adulteration of food, because they are health issues, he will find a better match with his credibility. These are equally important and ignored issues. In the case of corruption, he is playing a me too game after seeing Anna's popularity. Black money was another dimension in the same cluster of issues as Lokpal. Lokpal was a mechanism for initiating effective questioning and investigation when the people raise the issue to the Lokpal. Baba also mixed many unconnected issues such as GM food, and half baked solutions on which other experts disagreed. One andolan can have only one issue. If you bring a second issue, there will be 4 combinations. If you bring 3 issues there will be 8 combinations. So true consensus will be difficult.
krishnamurthy (goa)
baba has wide support across the country;instead of fasting and ruing his health,he should use his extra ordinary energy to mobilise this support for his cause of anti corruption;some of his proposals may not be practical;these are matters of detail in which he should take the advice of more knowledgeable people like lk advani;
baba has wide support across the country;instead of fasting and ruing his health,he should use his extra ordinary energy to mobilise this support for his cause of anti corruption;some of his proposals may not be practical;these are matters of detail in which he should take the advice of more knowledgeable people like lk advani;
kkrishnamohan (warangal) replies to Mesa
but the corruption index can be reduced,by stringent laws,faster probing and punishment,confiscating the properties.corruption will be there but there should be more fear of punishment,probability of getting caught and getting punished should increase
but the corruption index can be reduced,by stringent laws,faster probing and punishment,confiscating the properties.corruption will be there but there should be more fear of punishment,probability of getting caught and getting punished should increase
Nirvikar Goel Goel (Ghaziabad)
The reason of Baba's failure projected by ET writers is mis leading and away from facts. The main reason of failure remained that he could not guess the crookedness of these negotiators(Govt. Rep.). If he would have taken help, in advance, from lawyer like Shri Ram Jethmalani The eviction would not have been possible and the goal might have been achieved by now.
The reason of Baba's failure projected by ET writers is mis leading and away from facts. The main reason of failure remained that he could not guess the crookedness of these negotiators(Govt. Rep.). If he would have taken help, in advance, from lawyer like Shri Ram Jethmalani The eviction would not have been possible and the goal might have been achieved by now.
kumar (vadodara) replies to Nirvikar Goel Goel
Not at all possible. No one can make possible sky into earth. Babaji was on false assumptions and accordingly made a theory and try to execute. He fails.
Not at all possible. No one can make possible sky into earth. Babaji was on false assumptions and accordingly made a theory and try to execute. He fails.
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