Ramlila verdict: Jethmalani demands Chidambaram's resignation

Top lawyer Ram Jethmalani today demanded resignation of Home Minister P Chidambaram holding him responsible for the police action in Ramlila Maidan during yoga guru Ramdev's protest last year as the Supreme Court came down heavily on the Centre and the Delhi Police for the incident.

Jethmalani, who appeared for Ramdev in the Supreme Court in the case, said that the role of the Home Minister in the "most aggressive, immoral and almost criminal operation" with regard to the June six midnight police action should be looked into.

"I want to know who has given power to the Home Minister...The police was found guilty of aggression. This should make somebody resign...Delhi Police is not the real culprit. Real guilty are the political masters.

"Of course, of course (Chidambaram should resign). He is the one who is responsible for this tragedy," Jethmalani told a joint press conference with Ramdev here.

Ramdev, who was also present at the press meet, said they have not seen the full judgement and will give a detailed response later. He said he will continue his fight against corruption and blackmoney.

Though the Supreme Court held both Delhi Police and Ramdev responsible for the action which led to the death of one woman, Jethmalani said, "the Supreme Count has found that the police had acted hastily and there was no emergency of any kind as they had pretended.

"And they should not have resorted to the action that they have taken. To my mind, Ramdev has won the case," he said, adding that the fact remained that unarmed people were attacked while they were sleeping and sought to know what role the Home Minister had played in the entire sequence.

When pointed out about this, Ramdev said, "for the first 19 minutes while reading out the main parts of the judgement, the judges were finding fault with Delhi Police. Only for a minute or so they said I have responsibility."

Jethmalani said they have not gone with a complaint to the Supreme Court but to the people of the country. "The Supreme Court took a suo motu case," he said.

He alleged that Chidambaram had said that Ramdev be externed if the yoga guru went ahead with the fast. "Who has given him this power? He is the enemy of Constitution and free speech," the lawyer said.

Attacking the government, he said, "government is more sick. Ramdev is a well known yoga guru. They (government) need his yoga lesson."

Ramdev said he will not hold the Delhi Police responsible as the instructions came from the top.

Senior police officials were in constant touch with Home Ministry during the police action in Ramlila, he alleged.