Collector absolves Ramdev of model code violation charge

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has got a clean chit in the report submitted by the Navsari district collector on a complaint of breach of Model Code of Conduct.
"Baba Ramdev did not name any party, neither Congress nor BJP, he only used the word 'government' (in the speech). So his name has been cleared," Collector Sandhya Bhullar, who is also the election officer for the district, told PTI.
RTI activist Kanu Sukhadia had filed a complaint against Ramdev for making political comments during a religious function.
State's Chief Electoral Officer Anita Karwal had asked the District Collector to submit a report.

Ramdev had been invited to 'Ashwamegh' yagna at Ramji Temple at Navsari on March 5. As per the complaint, the event was attended by more than 500 people, including some district politicians.
The Collector, who submitted the report today, told PTI that she has recommended that expenditure for the yagna be included in the (election expenses) account of BJP MLA Piyush Desai.

"We found that two events were organised in Navsari and Vansda town of Navsari district after getting permission from the authorities," she said.
"Ramdev is not in any party, so the expenditure can not be attributed to him," she said further.

Sukhadia, on the other hand, demanded registration of FIR against the Yoga guru. "On March 3, I had informed the Collector to keep a watch on the function and stop it from becoming a political event, as election code of conduct is in effect," he said.
"But, Ramdev made several political comments and openly asked people to support BJP in elections during the function," he claimed.