'Ramdev's expensive stir a mere mass gathering'

Social activist Medha Patkar -- who recently concluded her own hunger strike over the issue of removal of slums in Mumbai – on Friday said that Yoga guru Baba Ramdev's agitation was "expensive".

"Such expensive agitations show a different face of protest. We are also against corruption, but why such an expensive agitation by spending crores," Patkar said in Mumbai.

The corporatisation of economic policy has led to black money, Patkar said. She cautioned against Ramdev's agitation turning into a mere mass gathering.

Patkar also flayed the government over the difference in treatment meted out to Ramdev and Anna Hazare, without naming the latter. "The state should not discriminate between agitations. Ministers going to airport to receive Ramdev sends out a different message," she said.

"Are they behaving as ministers or Ramdev's followers," Patkar said.