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AS ELECTIONS in Uttar Pradesh are
nearing, so is the number of travels by spiritual gurus. These
gurus are giving their discourses against corruption. (November
2011). The major ones amongst them are Baba Ramdev and Sri Sri
Ravi Shankar (Sri Sri). Sri Sri has shared space with Anna and
played a considerable role when the government had arrested Anna.
Sri Sri came to play the role of an interlocutor between Anna and
his followers, during his prison stint. As if by a divine design,
yoga guru Ramdev and Sri Sri have suddenly realised this menace of
corruption and have plunged themselves head long into the anti
corruption movement.
So, the teachings of Ramdev have a supplementary dose of anti
corruption teachings added on to it. Similarly Sri Sri’s ‘Art of
Living’ has now the additional flavour of anti corruption sermons.
While this is going on, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh
has alleged that Ramdev, Anna and Sri Sri are team members of RSS.
Ramdev is known to be close to BJP and had also toyed with the
idea of floating his own political party. However, Sri Sri never
talked on similar lines, and has maintained that he has nothing to
do with politics. According to him his UP tour is a mere extension
of what he has been doing, making people take oath against
corruption.
And, now Digvijay Singh has gone hoarse, claiming Sri Sri has a
political agenda and he is Team C of RSS. Does Sri Sri have no
political agenda? Or is he a part of RSS pantheon? Surely one can
guess that Sri Sri may not have attended the Shakha bauddhiks
(intellectual sessions conducted in RSS branches, known asShakhas)
and might not have worn khaki shorts and saluted the saffron flag
in RSS shakhas. But yet, Sri Sri is surely a part of a scheme to
influence electoral politics. Having said that, let’s understand
that electoral politics is not the only form of politics
influencing the society; it is also done by social movements and
awareness programmes.
Bills cannot be passed on the streets and not under pressure. The
government had accepted and is furiously working in that
direction. Despite that the threats from team Anna are on and team
Anna actively worked against the ruling Congress in Hisar
elections. It seems there is more to the Anna upsurge than just
the JLB or anti Corruption issue. They are having a deeper agenda,
and Sri Sri is very much a part of it. Earlier the bill for Right
to Information, NREGA etc were brought in, anti Corruption bill is
in the offing, than why such a pressure from Team Anna and
associated gurus. This just reconfirms that there is more to Anna
movement than meets the eye.
The political agenda of this movement is much deeper than what is
apparent at the surface. One needs to question whether under the
garb of spirituality a particular type of politics is being
strengthened. Sri Sri had a phenomenonal rise during last three
decades. To beat the stress of today’s working youth, Sri Sri has
devised Sudarshan Kriya, based on the breathing exercises from the
past traditions of India. Today, he is in league with many a
God-men, people like late Bhagwan Satya Sai, Asaram Bapu, Baba
Ramdev, propagating values of a particular type. While these
godmen are selling tranquilising therapies, ‘keep fit regimes’ on
one side, on the other they also support the prevalent social
dynamics in the society. The ‘deeper changes’ to ensure the rights
of weaker sections of society is what we should strive for. On the
contrary the type of politics, which comes in the garb of
religion, propagates the values which are opposed to the politics
of affirmative action for weaker sections of society. The godmen
are rubbing shoulders with the Nitin Gadkaris. Narendra Modis, Ram
Madhavs and the like. So logically they are the one’s touring the
state where election is due and they know on whose side they are
canvassing in a subtle fashion. Such type of politics, laced in
color of religion, is tied to the apron strings of a Hindu Rashtra,
which in turn is being spearheaded by RSS.
WHILE SPEAKING on the eradication of corruption a noble sentiment,
there is obvious rise of parallel movement of Anna and initiatives
of Godmen on the issue. There simultaneity is striking. RSS chief
claims that he talked to Anna Hazare to take up this issue. It is
appalling as to how this triad of Anna Hazare, Baba Ramdev and Sri
Sri realised the need for anti Corruption movement all at the same
point of time? And, of course, the RSS rushed its swayamsevaks in
this movement all over the country without a minutes delay. Mere
coincidence? No way! While talking against corruption is good, the
question is why is there no talk about female foeticide,
atrocities against dalits and violence against minorities? The
spiritual guru, one hopes, is aware that these issues are
prevalent in our society. Why no support for ‘right to food’
issue, or why no support to eradicate communal violence? And last
but not the least how come there is such a perfect match in what
Sri Sri believes and what RSS-BJP want on the issues related to
minorities, reservations for dalits, etc?
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