Introduction:
Spirituality, if defined in layman’s terms, would mean a belief system that says that there is more to live for, other than the reasons that seem obvious to us. For some people, it might be a life approach, for some, it might be believing in a specific religion and trusting the values it imparts. Spirituality can have so many versions for different people because of the continuous upsurge in its followers and believers. India is a country known for its religion and its citizens who keep their religious values above everything. Yet it has fallen victim to a horrendous version of the very pure philosophy of spiritualism and the torch bearers of this unfortunate difficulty is none but the fake gurus who have left no stone unturned to take advantage of the superstition, so many Indians have accepted spiritualism. To say that they are the only ones responsible for the damage they have caused to the sanctity and the faith in the minds of millions of Indians would be wrong. The people who encouraged the blind advice, the superstitious solutions and the reckless faith are equally responsible, if not more.
Need of the Hour- Shun Superstition!
Imagine a Godman (guru) with over five hundred ashrams and more than fifty gurukuls all over the county, with a huge number of followers, both in India as well as abroad. A part of you would believe that maybe this Godman would have something substantial to preach, that he could be the perfect person to lead you to the path of spirituality and end all your miseries. But let us now come out of the blindfold and see the reality.
Asaram Bapu vs Union of India[1]
This Godman referred above, is none other than Asaram Bapu, once a highly followed spiritual Guru. His followers used to call him “Bapu Ji” (father), showing their utmost reverence for him. The truth came to light in 2013, when this “guru” was sentenced for life imprisonment.
A devotee, a merely 16-year-old girl, accused him of raping her when she came to visit him with her mother. This guru did not budge and knocked the doors of the high court which ruled against him. Huge protests by his devotees, who could not believe the bitter truth is a proof of how for so many Indians, their own religion is used as a tool to brainwash them when in reality, religion is the one aspect of our lives that guides us towards the reality.
( Spot the superstition- This Godman raped her saying that this act would cleanse her body of everything that is evil.)
Rampal
Another self- declared Godman, Rampal now lives in jail, facing charges of 2006 murder cases and for contempt of court. As per sources, Rampal had missed the court hearings several times. During the police investigation, bodies of four women along with a child were found in his ashram. Police had to use their force, tear gas as well as water guns, considering the protests his devotees raised, to actually arrest Rampal. Over a hundred injured were reported during these protests.
Rampal, with a huge following in Haryana, had claimed to be a real-life- incarnation of Sant Kabir, who we all know was an Indian poet, very well-known for his preachings. He made his followers believe that Kabir was the ultimate God and he was a form of him, living, in real.
Ram Rahim vs Union of India[2]
Head of ‘Dera Sacha Sauda’ which is described as a Non-Governmental Organization and a centre for spiritual learning, Ram Rahim is another example of how blind superstition can make us. Having acted in several of his own films and videos, he gained massive popularity as the “Rockstar Baba.”
On the 25th of August, 2017, Ram Rahim was arrested for rape by the Central Bureau of Investigation. Just like in the abovementioned cases, the devotees here too, let their superstition guide them more than their logic and the police had to face a number of protest and clashes from them during the arrest of Ram Rahim. He is now in jail, facing a sentence of 20 years in jail, owing to the charges against him.
Radhe Ma[3]
Another name in this never-ending list would be that of Sukhwinder Singh aka Radhe Ma. Born in Gurdaspur Village of Punjab, Radhe Ma is known to have a thousand devotees. Her house is known as the Radhe Ma Bhawan by her devotees. She is a self-declared incarnation of Goddes Durga and is hence another example of how so many Indians are being robbed and fooled for the very reason they should have felt empowered, and that is religion. A blind superstition and sheer unawareness has made Sukhwinder Singh, the current day, Radhe Ma. This list of FIRs and PILs filed against her are as ever ending as this list of fake gurus.
- In April 2017, the Bombay High Court summoned the Mumbai Police to take seriously the charges thrown at Sukhwinder Singh by Nikki Gupta. Mrs Gupta accused Sukhwinder Singh of sending out wrong messages and provoking her in-laws to torture her for dowry.
- In September 2017, the Punjab High Court asked for an FIR to be filed against Sukhwinder Singh on the basis of the petition filed by Surinder Mittal. The petitioner accused Sukhwinder Singh of seducing him when he went to visit her as her devotee.
- In 2020 the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Kapurthala summoned Sukhwinder Singh on the same case which was filed by Surinder Mittal[4] in the year of 2015. She was accused of defamation under Section 499[5] and Section 500[6] of the Indian Penal Code.
These cases speak for themselves that we need to be more aware and more mindful about our own religion. It is our duty to not let our own religion become a means of harm to us.
Recent Development
In a recent decision of the Apex Court, we see a hope when it comes to fighting the menace of fake spirituality prevalent in India.
Dumpapa Ramreddy [7](the petitioner) informed the Apex court about how the ashrams of the convicted fake gurus like Asaram and Ram Rahim are still functional by the help of their assistants, despite their arrests and the charges against them. The concern of the petitioner was the women in the ashram who were kept there, with no precautions and in huge numbers, completely ignoring the pandemic conditions our country is going through. She further urged the court to come up with specific guidelines which can govern the establishments of ashrams in India.
The Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde raised his concern about how a few fake gurus impart a bad impression for every other person. The Apex Court declared to look into the matter and take necessary steps
People coming up with such arguments are doing an excellent job breaking the chain of superstition that restricts us all from thinking clearly and actually understanding our own religion.
Steps We Can Take Ahead
After discussing a deeply rooted problem of this kind, it is imperative for us to start taking immediate steps and stop anyone who tries to take advantage of the faith we show in our religion and in God. We need to know the line between religion and superstition. This awareness can go a long way as it is the absence of this fine line that encourages fake gurus to propagate fake spirituality with utmost confidence. We saw so many examples mentioned here of devotees fighting for these fake gurus even after these gurus are imprisoned and convicted of the charges against them. Why is this so? Why do we need this superstition in our lives? If we take the learnings of sociologist Dipankar Gupta[8], we will see how Hinduism is often linked more with the magic these fake gurus claim to create and less with the religion and its preachings of pure faith. These gurus offer some people with an immediate solution to their problems which are nothing but the advice they build on the underlying superstition, a lot of Indians have fallen victim too. If we go back to our scriptures and spend time reading them and understanding the true meaning of God, these fake gurus will never be needed again.
Conclusion
We need to relate faith with patience in our souls. Immediate solutions are luring but are often just another means of putting a blot on the sanctity and the secularism, we as a country have been known for. Faith is all about patience and trust. Sometimes, these negative forces like Fake Gurus try to give us a wrong idea of what true devotion is but we should not budge from our instinct and be intuitive and honest about our religion and our faith.
References:
[1] Asharam Bapu v. Union of India, (2013) 10 SSC 37 (Ind.)
[2]Gurmeet Ram Rahim vs Central Bureau Of Investigation, ( 2018) PNH 19483 (Ind.)
[3] Express Web Desk. (2017, October 28). Who is Radhe maa. The Indian Express. https://www.google.com/amp/s/indianexpress.com/article/who-is/who-is-radhe-maa/lite/
[4] Tribune News Service. (2019, June 5). Court summons Radhe maa in defamation case. Tribuneindia News Service. https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/punjab/court-summons-radhe-maa-in-defamation-case-783312
[5] Just a moment… (n.d.). Just a moment… https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1041742/
[6] Just a moment… (n.d.). Just a moment… https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1408202/
[7] Fake babas giving bad name to genuine spiritual leaders: Supreme Court. (2020, July 8). Hindustan Times. https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.hindustantimes.com/india-news/fake-babas-giving-bad-name-to-genuine-spiritual-leaders-sc/story-mwW9BhdcnWsu6OvJbKGrmN_amp.html
[8] Biswas, S. (2014, November 19). Why so many Indians flock to gurus. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-30110374
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