The curious case of the popular Babas...

 

 

The post in about the problem with the polity today.. The curious case of the Popular Babas...

 

I watched with rising disbelief, the current story of the Baba and his dark Dera unfolding in front of our eyes.. was wondering how something like this could even happen in a modern democratic society at all. The degree of complicity required to have shielded this kind of wrongdoing for so long begs the question - how many people always knew and how many were simply quiet about it? And the corollary.. why should they now go scot free while the Baba in question languishes for a decade in prison.

 

Before the conviction, the courts, which behaved admirably in the midst of rather an overall sordid environment, had put their warning well in advance, the media highlighted it as well and much in advance, but the state apparatus failed miserably.. and mind you - not only in Haryana, but in the adjoining states as well... the excuses are beyond common sense... the usually over communicating Netas are conspicuous by their inexplicable silence.

 

The other curious thing is that all political parties that are not in power have come out strongly criticizing the current ruling party, but what about the party which sat on it forever much before that, or the one before - do they really have the moral grounds to criticize... am not seeing a single major political party come out strongly in opposition to this Dera or the culture that perpetuates this... why this reticence?

 

And with the Baba supporters threatening to change the face of the country, where are the Bhakts, Rakshaks and the Righteously Indignant like the AKs... why are none of them strongly coming out ... it is only the holy cow, and only the urban auto drivers that need protection... are 50% of the electorate (the Women) always to be taken for granted? it seems that only the judiciary have the guts to raise a voice... what about all the others?

 

The other curious question - who really runs the country? Is it the PM or the CM or the Police apparatus or is it is vast subterranean networks of Babas, Spiritual Gurus, and Leaders who are ubiquitous across caste, creed and religion who really control the real India... are our elected governments only a facade of a polish over the rotten corpse of our liberty, equality and dignity?

And how can some of the celebrities we tend to worship so much endorse Babas like this... and finally why are they so quiet when something like this unfolds... do they have no voice of conscience? Are they really worthy of the mass adulation that they get?

 

More questions than answers.. but a start nevertheless...

Shift Right

Starting with London, where the Conservative Theresa May holds sway, to the distant shores of the new World and the new slogan of 'Trump-ism', to Germany where CDU's Angela Merkel looks strong, and of course India, where the indomitable Narendra Modi is going from strength to strength... The World, as I see it, is moving inexorably to the right...

Another interesting phenomena that I see in today's world is that while most of the people in these countries prefer conservative rightist strong leaders in their own country, they expect that the rest of the World will go on it is prior liberal form.. a wish that others will be liberal in their outlook towards you, while you will be conservative in your outlook towards them... 

An Indian I was speaking to, was bemoaning the results of the new referendum at Turkey giving Erdogan sweeping powers, complaining how the folks at the immigration now ask a load of questions at the entry points in the US, his inability to find work and stay in UK... and at the same time condoning the move to conservative politics in India, his home country... accompanied by a move to a more restricted outlook where there are increasing norms round what, where and when you can do things...

Shifting Right is not necessarily a bad thing... but it should not be accompanied by a loss of personal liberty and onset of mass xenophobia...

And are things going to change?

Not immediately, I think... with the notable exception of Canada where Trudeau is breaking new grounds for the liberals after a decade of conservative rule, the picture in most other former liberal strongholds is firmly moving right.

And do people mind?

I think most don't... as long as basic requirements are met...

It would be well to remember Ben Franklin's famous remarks “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety”