TNI Bureau: The Income Tax department geared up to cancel the charitable status of Ramdev Baba’s trust ‘Patanjali Yogpeeth’. It seems the yoga guru is paying the price for taking on the UPA government over the issue of corruption and black money.
The I-T department has claimed that Ramdev’s trust earns an income of over Rs 72 crore, while the trust shows it to be zero income. The Patanjali Trust reportedly showed revenue outflow of Rs 8.71 crore against an income of Rs 74.74 crore, a surplus of Rs 66.03 crore. But as per I-T rules exemption is provided only to those trusts that spend at least 85% of its income for charity.
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A show cause notice has also been issued over bringing Rs 4.36 crore for a food park in Jharkhand which violates the directives of the FEMA rules.
Reacting to the allegations, Ramdev’s adviser Ved Pratap Vaidik has been quoted as saying, “Ramdev has no personal interest and they are saying he is making business. What health department of India hasn’t done in years, they are calling this commercial activity? He is making medicines and giving good health to people. This is certainly politically motivated. How is that they were silent earlier? The same politicians used to visit him for yoga. Is it crime to do business in this country?”
The bank accounts attached to the trust are also under scanner.