WEB DESK
Baba Ramdev today said he will visit Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh – where hundreds have braved a cold winter to take part in a weeks-long protest against a citizenship law seen as discriminating against Muslims – on Saturday.
Speaking to a TV Channel, Baba Ramdev, who declared he did not want conflict between Hindus and Muslims, also said he was going to Shaheen Bagh “just to listen” and his visit would be a gesture of support to the Muslim community “if there is injustice against (them)”.
The comments came shortly after he acknowledged people’s right to protest but said the subject of protests must be constitutional and that “it appears there is anarchy in India”.
“I am not for anybody or against anybody… nor am I a middleman. I don’t want Hindus and Muslims to fight. If there is injustice against Muslims, I will stand with them. I will go to Shaheen Bagh tomorrow,” Baba Ramdev said.
“I am a supporter of protests… of any type of azadi (freedom)… but this must be constitutional, it must not hurt others. (I) don’t want Jinnah-wali azadi, I want Bhagat Singh-wali azadi,” he added.
Baba Ramdev sought to play down fears the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), would force Muslims to leave, declaring, “We are all Indians ” and that “it is a myth that people will be thrown out”.
When questioned about the fears of minority communities, particularly Muslims, that they may not have documents to prove that past generations of their family were born in the country, Baba Ramdev said he was born in a small village and may not have the required documents.
“I Was born in a village… generations of my family don’t have birth certificates. Who used to make them at that time?” he asked.
Baba Ramdev’s proposed visit will come two days after another saffron-clad leader, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, took a gendered swipe at the women-led agitations in Shaheen Bagh.