Don't be scared of me, I won't behead people for refusing to say 'Bharat Mata ki Jai': Ramdev

Ramdev told a press briefing that insulting religions like Islam or Christianity would be as "idiotic" as Owaisi's remark.

New Delhi: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Tuesday did a U-turn on his recent remarks that if law did not stop him, he would have "beheaded" people if they refused to chant 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'.

Backtracking from his controversial remark, Ramdev said he was only responding to AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi's statement that he would not chant the slogan even if a knife is put to his throat.

Ramdev told a press briefing that speaking insults against religions like Islam or Christianity would be as "idiotic" as Owaisi's remark.

"I believe in non-violence, coexistence and oneness. It would be wrong to say that behead me but I won't respect the Quran or the Bible. I take pride in my religion but that does not give me the licence to insult other faiths. That would be as idiotic as Owaisi.

"He says at the drop of a hat that behead me but I won't say 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'. So I responded in rustic language that I would have done so but I believe in the Constitution. No one needs to be scared of me...'Woh toh baat ki baat thi'. If someone wants to say 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' then let him, what's the point in protesting against it," Ramdev said.