Ramdev ends fast, targets PM and Congress

They chose to stay on at the stadium even after police permitted them to leave Monday night.

Ramdev said he would go to Haridwar, Uttarkhand, and appealed to all his supporters to peacefully leave for their homes.

"The prime minister's Independence Day speech must include response on black money. He should give a solution to solve corruption and black money problems, otherwise the country will hold him responsible too."

Directly targeting Manmohan Singh, he said: "Why are you getting yourself insulted; if you cannot bring back black money, then become a baba like me. You come from Sikh community, and many Sikh gurus gave their lives for noble cause. I request you to learn something from them and serve the country."

Ramdev, who launched his agitation from Ramlila Maidan Aug 9, said he had not been defeated. On the contrary, he had become successful in bringing many political parties on board against black money and corruption.

"Had there been voting in parliament Monday on black money, the government would have fallen. We have got support from party's supporting ruling alliance," he said.

Delhi Police had appealed to Ramdev and the crowds to vacate the stadium due to security reasons ahead of Independence Day celebrations. The stadium falls in the route the prime minister would take on his way to the Red Fort to unfurl the tricolour.

"If we had wanted, we could have stopped the prime minister from hoisting the flag on Independence Day but it is not a political event. Lakhs of freedom fighters have given their lives to give us this independence and we salute it," he said, asking his supporters to leave the stadium.

"We are not beggars, we are asking for our rights. And if we don't get it, we will fight for it," he said, as his supporters shouted slogans of "Vande Mataram" and "Bharat mata ki jai".

Ramdev said the Congress was the most corrupt party and not even one Congress member deserved to be elected in the 2014 general elections.

"Tell people that the Congress is responsible for making them poor. Congress is the most corrupt party and its name should be written on the top of the list of corrupt," he said.

The yoga guru said he and his supporters would vote only for leaders who were willing to tackle black money and corruption.

Ramdev and his supporters were detained Monday while they were marching towards parliament and were shifted to Ambedkar Stadium.

Ramdev is demanding the return of black money, a strong Lokpal Bill, and a transparent process to name heads of the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Election Commission.

On Saturday evening, he extended his three-day symbolic fast and threatened a "revolution" after the government failed to react.