Baba Ramdev ends fast, Congress Welcomes decision

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Sunday end his nine-day-old fast even as doctors said he will be discharged from hospital in two-three days though his condition is "stable". Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravishankar, who met the 46-year-old yoga exponent for the third day at a Dehradun hospital, said, "Ramdev has broken his fast by taking juice. He ended the fast in the presence of various religious and spiritual leaders". One of the first to break the news was Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the Art of Living founder who had been engaged in hectic efforts to persuade Ramdev, 46, to give up his protest that was affecting his health. "Baba Ramdev has ended his fast. He has taken (fruit) juice," he told reporters after meeting the yoga guru for a third time. He said Ramdev ended his fast in the presence of religious and spiritual leaders. Even as Ramdev's supporters gathered outside the hospital celebrated the development by raising slogans hailing him, others used the opportunity to lash out at the government.

Congress on Sunday welcomed as 'good news' the decision of yoga guru Baba Ramdev to call off his fast against corruption. "It is a good news that Ramdev has broken his fast," Congress General Secretary Janardhan Dwivedi said in New Delhi responding to the development.