Baba Ramdev targets Congress, says he's victim of 'character assassination'

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Tuesday charged the ruling Congress Party of stooping to new low levels to settle political scores, and said that charges of kidnapping levelled against him was a conspiracy to malign his image.

"Congress is targeting me and trying to portray me as a terrorist, or criminal. I am a pawn in a political game. Congress is stooping to low levels to defame me," he told media here today, after reports of his aide being kidnapped by Ramdev's brother came to light.

"There is a limit for everything. I am being made a victim of political game plans," he added.

Reacting strongly to reports of police carrying out raids on his ashram in Haridwar, where they reportedly rescued a man who had been kidnapped, Ramdev said that the whole kidnapping episode was a sham, and added that the 'kidnapped' man was a thief who had stolen money from the ashram.

"Instead of catching a thief (in the ashram), the police is targeting the ashram. The police is after the person whose house has been stolen and not after the thief. The kidnapping episode is all a sham. Boycott me if I am wrong," he said.

The yoga guru also used the occasion to highlight an earlier incident of his detention at Heathrow Airport, and said that his name is being spoilt across the world.

"I was detained in Heathrow Airport, saying there is a red alert against me. My image is being sullied across the world," he added.

On September 21, Baba Ramdev was detained at London's Heathrow airport for over six hours and questioned by British Customs officials. The officials gave no explanation for his detention, but said they had received a red alert notice against him.

A case was filed against Rambharat, brother of Ramdev, and four others for allegedly kidnapping and physically assaulting Nitin Tyagi, who worked in Patanjali Yogpeeth.

According to reports, hundreds of BJP workers protested outside the Kankhal Police Station over the FIR filed by the police.