Arrest warrant for Baba Ramdev for beheading threat to those who won't say 'Bharat mata ki jai'

A non-bailable warrant (NBW) for the arrest of yoga guru Baba Ramdev has been issued by a Haryana court over a complaint by  Congress leader and former state minister Subhash Batra. Ramdev is accused of suggesting last year that those who do not say "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" should be beheaded. 

The controversy

Ramdev was attending  an RSS-organised Sadhbhavna Sammelan in Rohtak in Haryana in April last year when he made the controversial statements. Addressing the meeting — ostensibly called for peace following the violent Jat quota agitations in the state — Ramdev had said: "We respect this country's law and Constitution, otherwise if anybody disrespects Bharat Mata, we have the capability of beheading not one but thousands and lakhs." 

His statements had come in response to two Maharashtra MLAs belonging to the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) refusing to say "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" in the state Assembly earlier in 2016. Their actions had kicked up a storm over what the correct way to praise the motherland was. 

The police case

Following Ramdev's statement, Congress leader Batra had filed a police case against him under Sections 504 (insult with intent to provoke unrest) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. When the case came up before Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Harish Goyal in May this year, he issued a bailable warrant against and summons for Ramdev. 

However, the yoga guru was a no-show in court on Wednesday, June 14. That was when ACJM goyal ordered the issuance of an NBW against the spiritual leader, who happens to be a mascot for the ruling BJP in Haryana. 

Ramdev is not new to controversy. At a time when India is planning a fresh approach to tackle the Kashmir problem that has been exacerbated by Pakistan, the founder of Patanjali Ayurved has said he is open to selling products from his company in the neighbouring country.