Muslim Man Throws Black Ink at Baba Ramdev

Kamran Siddiqui, who threw black ink at Baba Ramdev, being held in New Delhi Jan. 14. (PTI photo)

NEW DELHI

Baba Ramdev was the target of an attack by a man who threw black ink on his face on Saturday, as the yoga guru was briefing reporters on his plans to campaign against black money in the coming assembly elections.

Seated along with Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy at the Constitution Club in the heart of the capital, Ramdev’s left eye was blackened with ink by the man, identified as Kamran Siddiqui, a resident of Delhi who is said to be running an NGO called Real Cause, which is a petitioner in the Batla House encounter case.

Ramdev’s supporters at the conference manhandled the assailant before police took him away. The man, whose shirt was torn and removed, was seen bleeding from his lips.

There was lot of jostling around when police escorted the yoga guru away from the club.

Jaideep, Ramdev’s close aide, claimed that Siddiqui had gained entry into the hall carrying a walkie-talkie, apparently posing as a security guard. He also claimed that a bottle of acid was recovered from Siddiqui.

Ramdev, who immediately ended the press conference, later said he was not deterred by such attacks and would continue his campaign with full force against corruption.

“We talked about black money, we talked about eradicating corruption and in return as a prize this is what I have got. However, by throwing ink on someone, one cannot malign his character,” he said. “One whose life has been devoted to fighting corruption cannot be deterred by black flags and ink.”

Before the incident, Siddiqui had sought Ramdev’s opinion on the 2008 Batla House encounter in which suspects of the Delhi serial blasts were killed. The yoga guru reportedly ignored the question. The attack soon after.