The ‘Baba’ Phenomenon

The baba phenomenon is neither unique nor exclusive to India. Though of course their following has gone up in recent times. The notorious ones like Asaram Bapu and Gurmeet Ram Rahim Insan are cooling their heels in jail for charges like rape and murder. Baba Ramdev has been reprimanded by the Supreme Court for his confident undermining of Modern medicine, Sri SriRavishanker was involved in damaging ecology of river Yamuna, JaggiVasudev’s Ashrams have various criminal charges as well. What is common among these Babas is their astounding self confidence, wealth and promotion of blind faith.

The influence of such people is phenomenal in India. These preachers do wear the garb of religion. They do not belong to the formal clergy, which is part of institutional religion. Most of them are self-made and their intelligence in mind reading and taking advantage of the weaknesses of followers is enormous.

Mostly people with severe problems, not easily solvable, look for soothing words, somebody who gives them confidence and tells them that their problems will be solved by the earth where Baba treads, or by subjugating themselves to the Baba, or by following some advice which Baba gives. The followers throng to these Babas mainly due to their own insecurity in society. There are many other aspects of the success of Babas, their nexus with the political class being one such. Just as an example Gurumeet Ram Rahim has been mostly on parole, especially when elections are due. One recalls ManoharlalKhattar took his whole Cabinet to Gurmeet to take his blessings.

The insecurity aspect of followers is the key to understanding their psychology. More the insecurity, more the submission to Baba, the common sense or rational thinking is given a total goodbye by the followers. Insecurity aspect can be properly understood when one sees the global scenario. In the countries where economic and social insecurity is less, religions are seeing a decline in their active followership. Key finding from Global Research by PEW shows that “The United States is far from alone in this way. Western Europeans are generally less religious than Americans, having started along a similar path a few decades earlier. And the same secularising trends are found in other economically advanced countries, as indicated by recent census data from Australia and New Zealand.

Growing numbers of people in the West no longer find religion a necessary source of support and meaning in their lives. Even the United States—long cited as proof that an economically advanced society can be strongly religious—has now joined other wealthy countries in moving away from religion.

Contrary to the Values of the Constitution, Article 51A(h) under the Fundamental Duties, “[It shall be the duty of every citizen of India] to develop scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform”. But Babas flagrantly violate this clause, and those protecting or promoting them do the same.

In India, at social level there are active groups who oppose the Babas. Maharashtra has seen AndhshraddhaNirmulanSamiti (Committee for eradication of Blind Faith) associated with Dr NarendraDabholkar. He was brutally murdered by activists of conservative groups probably like Sanatan Sanstha. Similarly, the murders of GovindPansare, GauriLankesh, and Prof Kalburgi were also done by similar forces. After the murder of Dr Dabholkar, Maharashtra Assembly passed a law against blind faith and magic remedies. But how far it has been implemented is anybody’s guess.

[Contributed by Ram Puniyani]

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Frontier
Vol 57, No. 6, Aug 4 - 10, 2024