You have contributed much in reviving yoga and Ayurveda among the common people.

While doing tapasya in the Himalayas, I was worried about the growing consumerism and materialism, which were not only alienating the masses from their basic values but also bringing them closer to three primary ailments—hurry, worry and curry. This led to auxiliary ailments like hypertension and diabetes.

Yoga is the natural remedy to cure all this. I have neither revived nor established it, it already existed. I just take it to the people. There are four facets of my programme—a healthy India, a spiritual India, a national India and a swadeshi India. The philosophy of my teaching revolves around them.

Why are you against MNCs and their products?

Because they loot people. If the price of potato is Rs 10 a kg, its end-product is sold for Rs 300 a kg. The money we should spend on nation building goes into MNCs’ pockets. I oppose their ‘zero technology’ attitude—they sell us their products at exorbitant prices but do not part with their technology.

The same allegations could apply to you. The fees for your yoga camps are exorbitant. In fact, you are the most-moneyed yoga guru today.

This is a wrong allegation. I have neither a bank account nor property in my name. I take money from people for a sacred cause and for nation building. Didn’t Acharya Vinoba Bhave take land from the people for a pious cause? Didn’t Pundit Madan Mohan Malaviya take money and alms from the people to build a university? Didn’t Gandhiji receive money for his fight against the British? I have to build Patanjali Yog Peeth, a massive project which will benefit the people of our country.

You teach yoga and prescribe Ayurvedic medicines for curing ailments. Do you have a degree in these disciplines?

Whatever knowledge I give to people is not taught in a university or school. These are traditional sciences practised by our great hermits. I learnt these in gurukuls. There are 1,127 branches of Vedas—a vast knowledge bank—and I am a product of that tradition.

Employees of your pharmacy are in agitation, alleging that they are underpaid and exploited.

These allegations have no substance. They do not understand that an ashram is not an industry and they are not workers but volunteers. Do they have proof that they are employees? If they complain of being exploited, let me tell you that I, Ramdev, am the most exploited person in the ashram because I work 18 hours a day and do not take a single paisa. So who is being exploited, I or they?

Patanjali Yog Peeth is an ambitious project which requires Rs 50 crore for its completion. What obstacles do you face?

Those who have a myopic approach to religion see the growing popularity of yoga as a threat. There are certain internal forces—some MNCs—which do not like my work and create trouble for me. They have threatened to eliminate me.

Can you name those who are threatening you?

Broadly speaking, those who will get hurt by my efforts in spreading yoga want to remove me from their path.

You, Acharya Balkrishna and Acharya Karamveer founded the Divya Yog Trust. What was the bone of contention between you and Acharya Karamveer which saw him part ways?

Acharya Karamveer is highly qualified and a very good saint. He was misguided by some people. There is nothing more to it.