Baba Ramdev - the bloody Indian

Baba Ramdev

All the news channels aired the news for hours in full blast when Aruncahal MP, Ninong Ering, called Baba Ramdev 'bloody Indian' and called him names for speaking against corrupt politicians.

It made hot news, and juicy too, for news channels. They had one set of visuals that they could play ad nauseum, a defensive response from Congress [to which Ering  belongs] spokesman and angry reaction from BJP guys. For some channels, it was a godsend as there was no big crime or scandal that day except the abduction of one of Orissa’s Collectors by Maoists [and the latter had already been milked for many hours]. Channels added how Ninong Ering’s calling Baba  'bloody Indian' showed his anti-India feelings and some channels even put more and more juicy words in his mouth to prove that.

I think, we should not read too much into Ninong Ering’s comment against Baba as far as 'bloody Indian' goes. For the people in the north-eastern parts of India, an angry outburst against an outsider would often invite such racial remarks, as much as from a south Indian against Punjabis of the north or from a north Indian against Madrasis of the south. Such expletives are not uncommon in other countries and do not mean too much.

What, to my mind, is more exceptionable is the overall conduct of the Congress Member of Parliament and his anger when Baba called upon the audience to rise against corruption in politics. Baba is going from place to place awakening people against corruption in public life, in addition to popularizing yoga among masses. This is not suiting many including corrupt politicians, jhola-doctors, militants...

You can argue against a yogi coming to politics, and there is no guarantee that if he becomes a political power centre tomorrow, the power will not go into his head and he would still be the messiah that he is supposed to be. His strong dislike to things foreign also does not look too practical. He has also not been able to take with him people from all religions though over time many leaders from other communities are supporting him.

Yet, what Baba Ramdev is doing right now - giving messages of good conduct - needs public support. We know that without strong public protests, no government is going to clean itself because of vested interests, inertia and inherent weaknesses of governance systems. And, without a preacher with mass appeal, it is very difficult to rid society of age-old social evils and bad hygienic practices such as female foeticide, dowry, communalism, intolerance, personal uncleanliness, witchcraft and so on. So, if we want India to rise as a society, we need to support Baba and condemn the outrageous conduct of powerful people with vested interest in corruption – and the MP is one of them.