Even as the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government is at loggerhead with yoga guru Baba Ramdev over the latter's tirade against corruption and black money in foreign banks, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has remembered that he had once ordered allotment of a plot of land to the yoga guru for his institution in Guwahati.
Gogoi has warned Ramdev that the same plot may be taken back if not used for proper purpose or left unused.
"He (Ramdev) had once approached me. I remember allotting him a plot of land. However, I do not know whether it was actually allotted or not. If the land was allotted and is not being used for the purpose it was given, it might be taken back as per the recent decision taken by my government on such land," Gogoi said.
Gogoi is obviously nurturing a grudge against the yoga guru for his dig at Congress on the issue of corruption while organising yoga camps in various parts of the state before April assembly election in Assam.
"If somebody practices yoga, it is fine. But he should not indulge politics in the name of yoga," Gogoi said.
The chief minister minced no word in criticising both Ramdev and veteran social activist Anna Hazare for 'doing politics' on the issue of corruption.
"Anna Hazare and Ramdev are not the only ones who are concerned over the issue of corruption. We are equally concerned," Gogoi said.
"It was the Congress government that implemented the Right to Information Act in Assam besides appointing Lokayukta and vigilance commissioners," he sought to point out.
"They cannot dictate terms to the government. In fact, nobody -- neither the government nor the civil society can dictate terms in a democratic set-up where there have to be debates, discussions and consensus before the Parliament takes the final decision on any matter. Decisions can't be taken on the streets of the country," Gogoi said referring to Hazare and his colleagues' attempts to dictate the course of drafting of the Jan Lokpal bill.
