‘Shut up, don’t talk like this’, Ramdev to journo when asked about fuel price hike

New Delhi: In a video that has gone viral, self-proclaimed Yoga guru and Patanjali brand ambassador Ramdev is seen losing his cool on camera and threatening a journalist who asked him about his comments on India’s fuel prices in the past. Recorded in Haryana’s Karnal, the video shows a journalist asking the Patanjali brand ambassador about his comments to the media in 2014 that people should consider a government that can ensure petrol at Rs 40 a litre and LPG at Rs 300 per cylinder. To this, Ramdev replies, “Yes, I said it, what can you do? Don’t keep asking such questions. Am I your thekedar (contractor) who has to keep answering your questions?”

When the journalist asks the question again, a visibly angry Ramdev, pointing a finger at the journalist, responds, “I made the comment. Ab kya kar lega (what will you do)? Just shut up. If you ask again, it will not be good. Don’t speak like this, you must be the son of decent parents.”

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Later, Ramdev appealed to people to work harder in difficult times. “The government says, if fuel prices are low, they won’t get tax, then how will they run the country, pay salaries, build roads? Yes, inflation should go down, I agree… But people should work hard. Even I wake up at 4 in the morning and work till 10 at night,” Ramdev said, to the applause of his followers seated near him.

Petrol and diesel prices were raised by 80 paise a litre each on Wednesday, taking the total increase in fuel prices to Rs 5.60 per litre in the last nine days. The Central government has come under intense attack from the Opposition over the rise in fuel prices, with the Congress saying that the former United Progressive Alliance government managed to keep fuel prices under control despite high international crude oil prices for several years.

Agencies