Around 600 police used batons and tear gas early on Sunday to break up a mass hunger strike led by Swami Ramdev in New Delhi, detaining the TV star before putting him on a plane to his home state. Dozens of followers and police were injured.

The Supreme Court’s questioning of the government action followed widespread criticism of the raid as another sign that the government and its 78-year-old prime minister were out of touch with millions of corruption-weary Indians.

“It is unfortunate that operation had to be conducted but quite honestly, there was no alternative,” Singh told reporters, according to the Press Trust of India news agency.

“The government is serious and we are concerned about corruption and black money. There is no doubt. But there is no magic wand.”

A man tried to throw a shoe at ruling Congress party general secretary Janardhan Dwivedi on Monday as he criticized the guru at a news conference. The man was beaten up by onlookers and the incident showed how far the raid has polarized Indian opinion.

Tapping into spiraling voter anger about corruption as Asia’s third largest economy booms, Ramdev has called on the government to pursue billions of dollars in illegal funds abroad and introduce tough anti-corruption legislation.

Ramdev pledged to fast until his demands were met, adding to a series of planned protests announced by opposition parties and civil society groups.

In recent months, the Supreme Court has become more active in reprimanding the government, particularly over its handling of accusations of corruption made against its ministers.

“They are displeased over lathi (baton) charging people who were sleeping. It was a peaceful thing until the cops intervened,” said D.H. Pai Panandikar, head of the Indian think-tank RPG Foundation.

The guru’s campaign was the latest embarrassment for a Congress Party-led coalition hit by graft scandals, including allegations of kickbacks at the Commonwealth Games and a telecoms scam that may have cost the government up to $39 billion in revenues.

The handling of the protest is sure further to distract the government from working on key reforms needed to modernize the economy, which analysts say is growing at around 8 percent not because of government action, but despite it.

Parliament’s next session is due to start in July.