Spiritual Pop Anyone?
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.
Backfired Strategy
Whoever came up with the idea of sending four ministers rushing to the airport to receive Ramdev is my idiot of the month. And what persuaded the seasoned and experienced Pranabda to be part of the reception committee? That was the original sin. It has resulted in the mess the Manmohan Singh government finds itself in with a total breakdown of negotiations with civil society on the cards.
I have no evidence, even anecdotal, to back me up, but it seems the Congress wise guys were trying to create a Raj Thackeray-Bal Thackeray-type situation. The game was to build Baba Ramdev as a counterpoint to Anna Hazare, thereby splitting civil society. Ramdev appeared to be following the script when he opposed the inclusion of the prime minister and the higher judiciary in the Lokpal bill. Alas, it didn’t last for long. The Baba’s temporal advisors got him to renege from that position fast.
The Congress is hoist with its own petard. The only thing that can save the UPA is the self-destructive instinct of the Baba, who has a pronounced tendency to overreach himself.
Doggoned Editor
At last something on canines from which Editor is missing. Dhiraj Nayyar, who works for India Today, has edited a charming book, Dog Stories (Natraj Publishers, Rs 495), about mini celebrities and their best friend. A host of interesting people recount how their life has been enriched and transformed by their mutt. Although Dhiraj did not send me a copy of the book, my friend Ruskin Bond has. I have kept it as far away as I can from the egoist Editor, who, after being photographed by Lord Snowdon, thinks no dog book can be complete without him. Groucho Marx’s famous quote—“Outside of a dog, a book is probably man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it is too dark to read”—is prominently printed in the collection. Ruskin’s wonderful dog is called Boozo, and Mr Bond writes: “When there are free lunches to be had, dogs and humans are no different. Word soon gets around.” I can vouch for that.
Editor will no doubt locate this book lying on my writing table. I’ll keep you informed on how I cope with the crisis.
Pater Nitty-Gritty
Apropos the Dominique Strauss-Kahn philandering, I came across a nice, historically accurate story about the legendary Lothario, Lord Palmerston.
At the age of 83, in 1858, when he was prime minister of Great Britain, Palmerston produced a child out of wedlock. Benjamin Disraeli, his opponent, was advised to go public with the information as general elections were imminent. He rejected the advice. “If the story gets published, he’ll win by a landslide,” said Disraeli.
