What should we make of Ramdev?

by Guest Sat Jun 11, 2011 9:01 pm

What should we make of Baba Ramdev? I don’t personally believe in the efficacy of his remedies and therapies, but in our robust and diverse democracy, swamis, gurus, holy men have a legitimate right to try and grab a slice of the political cake. If maulanas and maulvis, sants and gurudwara heads, priests and evangelists can dabble in politics, why not Ramdev? The other argument I am uncomfortable with is that Ramdev represents Bharat while Anna Hazare and his group represent the urban elite. This argument is employed to explain why the English-speaking civil society and the mainstream media have been less than full-throated in backing the yoga/lauki juice icon. Certainly, the crowds flocking to the Ramlila maidan were very different from the trendy rock-and-rollers at Jantar Mantar.

Let us take Baba’s credentials first. As I noted earlier, prima facie, I have no difficulty with Ramdev dabbling in politics. However, it would be useful to keep in mind the record of Hindu holy men when they get embroiled in public life, usually through becoming “close advisors” to prime ministers and cabinet ministers. Think back to Chandraswami and his dirty deeds. And think back to the umpteen rich and powerful people he swindled. More recently, the Shankaracharya of Kanchi became convinced he could singlehandedly solve the Babri Masjid dispute. He ended up facing murder charges. The Sangh parivar boasts of numerous swamis and sadhvis on the fringes and in the core of their organisation. Many of them are in jail on terrorism and connected criminal indictments. Sai Baba, who in terms of following and finances was bigger than all the others put together, shunned politicking. There is a moral in that somewhere.

Bharat vs India is a seductive argument. The charge of elitist snobbery, as some of us casually dismiss Bharat, cannot be easily brushed off. Nevertheless, one must take into account what Bharat is demanding. Ramdev’s spiritual populism has led to the trivialisation of issues like black money and, even more worryingly, to absurd panaceas. Incidentally, Anna Hazare also represents Bharat. However, he is aided and abetted by a group of experts who understand the complexity of the demands on the table. Bharat must prevail, but it has to tread carefully.

http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?272177