Congress criticizes NDA for backing Ramdev, says UPA committed to get back black money'

New Delhi, Aug 13 (ANI): Congress Party on Monday took the leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to task for joining Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev on his agitation against black money at the Ramlila Maidan .

Congress leader Rajiv Shukla claimed that the UPA Government has brought back black money worth Rs. 48,000 crore into the country.

"This (UPA) is the first government that has brought back black money worth Rs. 48,000 crore into the country. The Finance Minister has issued a statement in this regard. When the NDA and BJP leaders were in power, did they even bring back black money worth Rs. 48?" asked Shukla.

Rajiv Shukla said those who did not bring back black money worth Rs. 48 during their six-year rule and protected the black money holders, have no right to join Baba Ramdev on his platform and raise their voice that black money should be brought back.

Shukla further said the UPA Government brought 'White Paper' on black money, and added that further work is being carried out in this regard with firm determination.

"For the first time, white paper was brought on black money and further work is being carried out in this regard. The ones, who did not bring white paper on black money and those who didn't do anything are going on Baba Ramdev's stage and talking about black money," he said.

Janata Dal-United (JD-U) chief Sharad Yadav, BJP President Nitin Gadkari and Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy were among those who joined the yoga guru at the Ramlila Maidan earlier in the day.

Shukla, however, refused to comment on Baba Ramdev's agitation, saying the yoga guru has full right to do so in a democratic set up.

"I don't want to utter a single word on Baba Ramdev. He has the right to protest. I just want to put up a question before the NDA and BJP leaders, who joined Baba Ramdev on his stage," he said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today criticized the Congress Party after Baba Ramdev's detention, saying the UPA Government has repeatedly refused to take up the issue of corruption.

Senior BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu said that his party fully supports Baba Ramdev and asked the UPA Government to come out with a time-bound plan against graft.

"Unfortunately, this government, which has made the promise to bring back black money within 100 days of coming to power has not done anything. The so-called 'White Paper', which they have presented, is an empty paper. There are no details, there is no name, there is no time bound action programme, that's why the BJP has raised this issue," said Naidu.

"And today led by Baba Ramdev and others, thousands of people are marching towards Parliament. So, it is quite natural to take up the issue," he added.

Delhi Police earlier this afternoon took yoga guru Baba Ramdev and his supporters into preventive custody at the Ranjit Singh flyover here during the march to the Parliament.

"We will continue to fight this government... that is our strategy now...," said Baba Ramdev after submitting himself to be taken into police custody.

Baba Ramdev, who was in his trademark red robes and a black band of protest on his forehead, also asked his supporters not to resort to violence.

Baba Ramdev was earlier denied permission for the march by the Delhi Police.

The police personnel are likely to take Baba Ramdev and the others to a stadium in Bawana that will double up as a makeshift jail. From Bawana, it will be difficult for them to congregate near the city centre again.

Delhi Police has brought in more additional forces to clear the crowd that has gathered around Baba Ramdev. Delhi Police is likely to release most of the supporters taken into preventive custody by this evening.

Baba Ramdev, who secured the support of the NDA and brought them on his platform at the Ramlila Maidan here today, earlier in the day declared that he would take his ongoing protest on black money and corruption to Parliament and vowed to oust Congress in the next Lok Sabha polls.

Baba Ramdev said that the aim of his protest is to ensure that no ' dishonest person enters Parliament' following the Lok Sabha elections in 2014. (ANI)