Caste system a curse for India, should end for country's good: Ramdev

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Monday said caste system was a curse on India, which needs to be rooted out for the all-round development of the country.

He also said that all religions in the world are equal and none of them are superior to any other.

He was talking to reporters during a 'Meet the Press organised by Chandrapur Working Journalists Union (CWJU) at the Press Club here.

"Caste system is a curse on our country that needs to be rooted out to achieve all round development of India. No discrimination based on caste or creed was made in the Vedas, the Upanishads or in the Manusmriti, but people misinterpreted from time to time without ever studying them," he said.

Ramdev is on a three-day visit to the district from tomorrow, during which he would be conducting a yoga camp at Mul, a tehsil place in the district, 45 kms from here.

"Patanjali Yoga is truly secular as it makes one's life-style healthy. Yoga helps in leading a healthy life," he said adding, "All religions in the world are equal and none of them are superior to others."

"Cow urine is proved to have astonishing medicinal properties and Patanjali is taking efforts to propagate the importance of cow and cow products for health benefits among common people," he said.

On social activist Anna Hazare's proposed agitation for the Lokpal Bill, Ramdev said, "I have great respect for Annaji and his principles. But it appears that age is catching up with him...he is getting old.

"He needs to change his strategy of his agitations as I am afraid some people may take advantage of his agitations to form a new political party, as was witnessed in the past," he quipped.

The Yoga guru opined that transparency should be maintained by the government in its policies and work, but Prime Minister should be kept out of the ambit of Lokpal, as he is the one who heads the government.

On demonetisation, Ramdev said that it was a welcome step taken by the government.

He, however, said that Rs 2,000 currency notes should also be scrapped to keep a check on black-money.

Ramdev said although this year's Union Budget focused on the welfare of the farmers, some sections of the society were disenchanted by it.