Baba Rampal is a very complex issue. Far more complex than people think it to be. A direct challenge to judiciary; a private army; a huge following; a business enterprize; a sustained secretive rebellion; alleged maoist links; but still a failure in the end. The Maoist links theory has been floated today only, that too through rogue intelligence officers; so, I don’t know how much to believe it. However, if the theory is true, then that per se is a reason enough for the police to have acted in the manner they did and is also a big failure of Maoism in the semi-urban India. But, I don’t think this theory has any basis. I think, it has just been floated to present the BJP State Government in a better light, whom all security agencies especially the IB support wholeheartedly.
The origin of this conflict lies in a 2006 episode when the Arya Samajis from the surrounding 27 villages attacked the Satlok Ashram. At that time also, Baba’s supporters responded in a similar manner. They counter-attacked the attackers from a height with stones and more, leading to many injuries and one casuality. Arya Samajis have strong affiliations with the BJP; however, Baba also seems to be having the support of at least some quarters in the BJP, which is normal with political parties; the Congress Government also seems to have ignored his activities during their reign may be because he has been supporting some politicians from the Congress as well. Nobody, Baba or whoever, can construct such a large empire without the support of the politicians and the police. Had he substituted some legal advice for all political advice, this episode would not have taken such a violent turn. Until now, all cases against him, whether of murder or of contempt, were weak. Nothing would have been proved in the Court. But, when people like the Talwars are left in jail for no crime whatsoever, the people start getting scared of the Judiciary, more for their property than for their person. I believe had he greased right palms at right places, he would have gotten away with some small punishment in the contempt case, and the murder case was anyways a no-starter. It seems he got over-scared. Also, I think, he is not that well-rooted, and all his rebellion is fake: A true rebel would always keep an escape route ready sans property. I think his was a case of dilemma between ego and practicality, and he bent a bit too much in favour of ego. But, the final word has not yet been written: Let us see how he conducts himself hereafter, and let’s see how much of his ego was self-respect.
However, this episode is also a very scary one for all self-respecting people. These BJP hooligans are in a habit of mobbing and scaring people, and this happens not only to the famous and powerful people but also to commoners — I have seen this happening to myself though to a much lesser degree, and I also did something similar, ie threw stones. However, offlate, the police has lost its neutrality, and they openly support the BJP hooligans. So, a difficult choice has to be made; ie, whether to counter-attack the police force as well while attacking the BJP hooligans. Given the present circumstances, the answer seems to be a yes, but it is also suicidal. It would be better to give oneself a chance to influence the police away from the BJP. But, of course, this comes at the loss of self-respect, and how long can one keep compromising one’ s self respect without making it a habit is contextual and a very difficult question to answer. Of course, neither the friendship nor the enimity of the police is good. But, unfortunately, the situation has arisen when a conflict with the BJP automatically turns itself into a conflict with the police, and the situation becomes volatile very fast. I hate to say this but, in the present circumstances, anybody who openly, or even not-so-openly, supports the BJP ought to be avoided to stay in peace away from the police because they seem to have actually formed a family, ie sangh pariwar, and all of them support one-another in things, small and big.
However, if things come to extreme desperation, and it becomes impossible to compromise anymore with one’s self-respect, commiting suicide by attacking the police is the only option left in the present day India.
© 2014 Ankur Mutreja
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