New Delhi, May 2: Members of Parliament, cutting across party lines, today lambasted yoga guru Swami Ramdev for his remark that dacoits and criminals were sitting inside Parliament.
Swami Ramdev, while addressing a rally in Dalli Rajhara in Chhatisgarh on May Day, had remarked about MPs : "They are dacoits. They are devils in the guise of human beings. Robbers and criminals are sitting inside parliament and we have to save parliament from such people."
As MPs trooped into Parliament today for the day's proceedings, most of them, cutting across party lines flayed Ramdev for his remark.
Former Finance Minister and BJP leader Yashwant Sinha said, "the more one insults Parliament and MPs, the more one becomes a hero.
"Our Consitution does not give any one the authority to criticise Parliament and other institutions, whether one is a leader, a saint or an NGO activist."
RJD supremo Lalu Prasad described Ramdev as "a mental case" and said "they have all become frustrated, that's why they are speaking like this."
CPI leaders Gurudas Dagupta and D Raja also criticized the yoga guru.
Dasgupta said : "These people talk all nonsense. Suddenly they have jumped into politics. He (Ramdev) is a man of dubious background."
D Raja said: " He (Ramdev) does not know what parliament is. There are parliament members who are genuine and these people should know how to respect the nation's highest body."
Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar merely remarked: "Constitution is above all."
Parliamentary Affairs minister of state Harish Rawat said, Baba Ramdev should simply say he doesn't believe in parliamentary system. He should know, people elected us. He is questioning the parliamentary system."
Congress MP Satyavrat Chaturvedi said : "Be it Anna Hazare, Baba Ramdev or any other baba, people know their true faces now. It's now time the government should take strict action against people criticising parliamentary institutions."
