Haridwar: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has put the Narendra Modi government on notice over what he described as serious irregularities in education and government recruitment, warning that student protests could grow and that he may return to the streets if the problems are not addressed.
Ramdev made the remarks while speaking to reporters at Patanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar on August 15, India’s 80th Independence Day. His comments came against the backdrop of protests by students over alleged problems in examinations and recruitment.
Ramdev said students were raising concerns about basic facilities in schools and colleges, including a shortage of teachers and the lack of electricity, water and toilets. He also alleged that cheating and question-paper leaks were taking place in some places.
His strongest criticism was directed at the government recruitment process. Ramdev alleged that corruption and money power were influencing selections for government jobs. He claimed that corruption in government-job interviews could be as high as 99 per cent and alleged that some recruitments were taking place after candidates paid bribes of up to rs 1 crore.
These figures are Ramdev’s allegations and have not been independently established. The specific 99 per cent and rs 1 crore claims should therefore be understood as allegations made by him, rather than confirmed facts.
Ramdev urged the government to act quickly, warning that continued inaction could lead to wider protests. At the same time, he made it clear that he did not support violence or lawlessness, calling on young protesters, including members of Gen Z, to keep their agitation within the Constitution and stay away from violence.
His warning also brought back memories of his own anti corruption movement. Ramdev referred to his 2011 protest at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, which ended after a police crackdown.
Beyond education and recruitment, Ramdev spoke about what he described as growing hostility among Indians along caste, religious and political lines. He called for these divisions to be broken down and urged people from different communities to stand together.
For the government, Ramdev’s message was blunt: address the alleged irregularities before public anger grows further. For students and young protesters, however, he had a second message fight for your rights, but do so peacefully and within the law.
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