The death of over 120 devotees in a stampede at a congregation at Hathras in Uttar Pradesh has shocked the nation but why does it surprise us. In the last three decades, this country has seen an enormous growth of Babas as devotees throng to them in search of miraculous powers. The codification of religion and development of organised caders in these congregations is the biggest threat to us as a society and democracy but then these religious gurus now have been legitimised by the party in power and vice versa. They have enormous power and action is only taken on their misdeeds when the state feels they have become a political liability or when the courts are determined to act against them.
The sad part today is the glorification of these babas through Darbari media and social media which has helped create a ‘bright hallo’ around to ensure that they run their fiefdom uninterruptedly. Today, they define your personality. When everything is reduced to the number of your followers and likes then dont expect any rational debate on why such congregations are allowed when they can’t be managed properly.
The government has initiated an inquiry but we all know what is the outcome of this. Find a few scapegoats while nothing happens to the main culprit. The reason is a close nexus between media-politician and these Babas who are not really spiritual but only work as political agents. The administration knows these things hence in any event the issue of permission and required paperwork is merely a formality.
The shameful part is that the so-called Baba just disappeared from the scene and so far not a single statement has been heard but then as a society we never learn any lesson and have easily forgotten how, a decade back, a billionaire baba wore a woman’s kurta with dupatta and ran away from Ramleela Maidan in Delhi.
The growth of organised religious congregations and using them for political purposes are not merely law and order problems but also a big threat to democracy. Don’t we know how the number of deras has grown in Punjab and how difficult it is for the administration to act when they have the political patronage? The case of Gurmeet Ram Rahim of Dera Sachcha Sauda is an example of powerful patronage.
It is now clearly visible that an individual is reduced to no value if he or she has no followers whether in real life or reel life which is the web world. Your rights and wrongs are determined by your power on the ‘ground’ or on the ‘web’.
It is clear as a society, we will continue to look forward for the messiah and each one inside us suffers from a megalomania of being so. The result is we don’t have time to interact and debate decently so that we gain wisdom and knowledge.
Why should we complain when such a situation has been normalised and most of us are writing in the abstract in our own world looking for ‘Bhakts’ and not for a fellow partner with who we can discuss and debate politely and with respect.
The thing is nobody will learn anything because after a few noises here and there, things will move on and Babas will give us gyan about our life and what to eat, how to live and what is our future. The problem is that despite well known fact that they don’t know anything we continue to follow them in search of a miracle.
Meanwhile, we can only mourn the death of innocent people in the hope that people will realise that they are just cannon fodder and there is no miracle or power in these babas or priests otherwise we would not have any accidents and deaths in and around religious places or these congregation.
We need an enlightened India and that is possible through following and understanding the path shown by Buddha, Nanaka, Kabir, Raidas, Tukaram, Chokhamela and not by the luxurious Babas. The sooner we get out of this the better for society.
Vidya Bhushan Rawat is a social activist
