Baba Ramdev fires reporter on fuel-price-hike query

New Delhi: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev castigated a reporter on Wednesday after the guru was asked about his thoughts on surging oil prices in the country, The India Express reported.

In the event that took place in the Karnal district of Haryana, the reporter reminded Ramdev of the latter's earlier statement that people should vote for the party that offers one-litre petrol for Rs 40 and cooking gas for Rs 300 per litre. The reporter asked the guru for his say on the current trends in oil prices as well as cooking gas.

Baba Ramdev seemed to have lost his temper on the query as he replied viciously that he did say that and what if so. He asked whether he was the contractor of the commodities for people to question him on the issue. The reporter must shut up, don't ask such questions, and if he asks again, it would not be good for him, Ramdev said. He added, "don't speak like this; you must be the son of decent parents."

During the event, before the reporter's question, the guru had advised people to work harder in difficult times. He said that according to the government if fuel prices are lowered, they won't get enough taxes to run the country, pay salaries, build roads etc. Inflation should ease down, he said, but people need to work hard, like how he wakes up at 4 in the morning and works till ten at night, he added.

On Thursday, 80 paise was increased per litre on both petrol and diesel, and the cumulative increase in prices in the last nine days reached Rs 5.60 per litre.