Govt. rules out further talks with fasting Ramdev

New Delhi/Dehradun, June 11 (ANI): The government has ruled out any talks with yoga guru Baba Ramdev, who is presently hospitalized at Dehradun's Jolly Grant Hospital, and is continuing his fast for the eighth day.

Activist Swami Agnivesh met with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to discuss the Ramdev issue in New Delhi on Friday, suggesting that the government may want to start a new round of discussions with the yoga teacher.

The fasting yoga guru was shifted on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance in his Patanjali Yogpeeth and taken out of Haridwar on Friday after doctors attending to him said his liver had been affected and his blood pressure was worryingly low because of his hunger strike.

Ramdev was given glucose on Friday, but he has refused to end his hunger strike.

"Swamiji was taken to the Intensive Care Unit of the Jolly Grant Hospital due to low pulse rate and dehydration on the Chief Medical Officer's advice," Baba Ramdev's spokesperson S.K. Tijarawala said in a statement on Friday.

"We appeal for peace and prayers. He is determined to continue the fast," he added.

Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar, who visited the yoga guru in hospital on Friday, urged Baba Ramdev to start eating solids from Saturday.

Veteran Congress leader N D Tiwari also met Ramdev on Friday and asked him to end his fast.

Doctors attending to Baba Ramdev at his Patanjali Yogpeeth had earlier advised that the yoga guru should be immediately hospitalized and treated in Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Releasing Baba Ramdev's health bulletin, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Yogesh Sharma had said that if Baba did not break his fast he may suffer irreversible damage to his body.

"We have advised him to get hospitalized as we have observed that his kidney functions at a low level as albumin has been detected in his urine," Dr. Sharma had said, adding that "we examined Baba. His condition is fast deteriorating and is worrying."

Baba Ramdev's pulse rate was as low as 98/min and his blood pressure had dipped to 104/70.

Despite spiritual leaders trying to convince the yoga guru to call off his fast, Baba Ramdev has remained firm about continuing with it till his demands were met.

The yoga guru has been on a hunger strike against corruption along with 65,000 followers when the Delhi Police on the Central government's orders dismantled the elaborate camp late on the night of June 4 that had been set up at New Delhi's Ramlila Maidan. (ANI)