Ramdev declines Cabinet Minister status, wants to remain 'baba'

Rai Sonepat Yoga guru Ramdev on Tuesday turned down Haryana governments offer of cabinet rank status saying he was not looking for a ministerial post and wants to remain a babaRamdev made the announcement at a function organised by the Haryana government in Rai about 60 km from Delhi to honour him The Haryana government had faced opposition attack over the move with the Congress accusing it of going out of the way to please RamdevBaba Ramdev File picFor your decision to bestow me with this honour I thank you Haryana govt profusely but I want to humbly state that I want to serve you by remaining a baba and a fakir What you have given I want to thank you for that but very respectfully I want to hand it back to you Ramdev saidHe will however continue to be States brand ambassador to promote Yoga and Ayurveda Opposition Congress had opposed the move of making Ramdev brand ambassador and subsequently being granted the Cabinet status rankIn his address to the gathering in Rai on Tuesday in which Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar his ministers Ram Bilas Sharma Anil Vij Kavita Jain among others were present Ramdev said I want to humbly thank CM Khattar and entire Cabinet of Haryana and want to state that before Haryana polls last year many people had said that baba Ramdev has so many MPsAfter polls they said baba has so many ministerswhat is more important than how many ministers MPs MLAs how many CMs baba has is the fact that Narendra Modi he too is babas PM he is countrys PM therefore he is our PM Ramdev said that he had worked selflessly to realise the mission of making Modi as the countrys Prime Minister bytreating it as rashtra dharmaNow that PM is ours entire Cabinet is ours Haryana CM is ours and his Cabinet is ours so let baba remain a babaI want to serve you like this only by remaining a baba Service to humanity is my only objective Im not looking for any ministerial position or status Ramdev said I have to work for my country by rising above these honours and rewardsRamdev said adding that even when talks about Padma awards were going on he had stated that a fakir is a fakir and is above such awardsOn April 13 the Haryana Government had decided to give status of Cabinet Minister to Ramdev for which a notification was to be issued later on Official sources had said that those granted status equivalent to Cabinet minister were not entitled to salary and allowances payable to a legislator swornin as a Cabinet ministerThey are however entitled to protocol facilities including escort and state guest status at official rest housesAsked about Ramdevs decision to decline the offer Khattar said the Haryana government respects the Yoga Gurus decision We had decided to bestow the highest honour on him giving cabinet status rank But in view of his decision our respect towards rishi and munis and the traditions set by them has further increased Khattar who touched Ramdevs feet before garlanding him saidMinutes before Ramdevs address the Haryana Chief Minister had mentioned the state governments decision to accord him cabinet status Whenever swamiji will be in Haryana he will be our state guest We have decided to grant him cabinet status rank he saidEven Haryanas Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma and Health Minister Anil Vij in their address to the gathering mentioned the state governments decision to give the cabinet status rank to the yoga guru He will be our State guest We are your charno ki dhool Ram Bilas said adding Ramdevs stature was very high and the move to give him cabinet rank was merely a small gestureRam Bilas also mentioned his governments move to introduce teaching of Bhagavad Gita and Yoga in schools acrossthe state Keep guiding us in this endeavour the Minister said while pointing towards Ramdev