Ramdev and his political asanas

Two years have passed since the 2009 Lok Sabha elections and UPA-2 looks in shambles ridiculed with scams, controversies and apparently weak leadership at the center. Perhaps this is a good time if one wants to enter politics for one it has ample of reasons to question the center and two if it does something good 2014 is not far away.

Corruption has been the buzz word. Not that it’s something new in the Indian scenario but unfortunately for the congress the bubbles are exploding quite to frequently. The fight for corruption took a head start with movement of Anna Hazaare and with the success of it a number of people who enjoy public lime light are now seeking an opportunity to cash in on politics

Baba Ramdev, changed the way Indians lived, for at least quite a large number of people. We spot people even in the general compartments of railways doing Kapalbharti and older women getting up at 6 o clock to catch a glimpse of him on Astha channel and try out some Pranayams to get rid of their backache. Baba has been successful in bringing about awareness about the strength and power of yoga, but the urge to diversify and to take his fame as guaranteed for his followings Baba now apparently seeks a political platform

But why a political platform? Politics especially in the Indian purview is about absolute power. I repeat what I have to say about power from my earlier posts, some believe money, but I say power is the world’s greatest aphrodisiac. Money doesn’t care who owns it. A bum can win it in a lottery, or a dunce can inherit it. But power is different, it is to own the world. It is to implement your own agendas. And Ramdev has agendas. He believes people who are homosexual are insane and proper mental check up is required. Time and again he has questioned the usage and quality of various products such as soft drinks, and if they are harmful so are liquors and all such things should be banned. He is a brand ambassador of yoga and ayurved and under his regime every hospital should have a yoga trainer and products from Patanjali Yog Peeth should take over Nestles and Johnsons

Questions might arise on my skepticism with respect to Baba, but I have my reasons for believing, more so because I have been avidly following him since my schooldays. Let’s look at his track record. First he appears on a religious channel twice a day and performs yoga. With the miracle of yoga more and more people become attached to him. He starts visiting places and organizing yoga camps with the motto of spreading awareness. Once he has received more than decent amount of lime light he urges people to contribute for his Patanjali Yog Peeth. His saffron robes more than the person helps fade away questions of doubt on the usage of this money. His shows that runs for an hour reduces to 40 minutes discussion on his yog peeth and the aspirations he has from it and 20mins of yoga for the people who pain stakingly come to see him. By 2007 products of Patanjali Yog Peeth were available in every nooks and corners of this country. Now for the past two years his yoga show has reduced into nothing more than a stage for political mudslinging. He speaks of statistics about students, patients and revenues in government offices; he speaks about measures and criticizes government moves. His political motives are more than clear now

Anna Hazaare stole the lime light with campaigning on corruption; his movement was a success, leaving Baba scratching his head. Hasan Ali’s case brought into the lime light the cases of black money and Baba sprang to action taking up this as a cause to enter politics

But Baba Ramdev is a Baba i.e. a saint and his work is not doing justice to the saffron robes he sports.

Saints are considered above human beings, they shun away all kinds of attachments and don’t desire for any kind of material comfort. They have patience and they never diverge from the path of ethics and goodness.

They don’t call themselves as the messenger of god as Baba did on the Ramlila Maidan, neither do they insist on arm twisting methodologies like hunger strikes. They show the path of healing and never undermine an authority by calling them cheats, liars, conspirators. They don’t move on to arm tactics whatever be the reason for so as Baba has urged that 20 young men from every district should come there. He will train them in both shahstra (vedas) and shastra (weapons).

We have had other saints and their area of social service has been remarkable, for example Satya Sai Baba.

Ramdev’s contribution to the evolution of yoga in India in the 21^st century is also remarkable but people should stick to whatever they are good at. We don’t want more diverse profiles in politics, we want changes