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Ram Rahim rape verdict: Why Haryana BJP government failed miserably

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Valson Thampu
Valson ThampuAug 25, 2017 | 20:27

Ram Rahim rape verdict: Why Haryana BJP government failed miserably

For hours mayhem reigned in Panchkula. Predictably, it spread to other parts of Haryana. The toll in human life, as this is being written, is at least 12 dead and several, including media personnel, injured and OB vans destroyed. The Haryana police, in the face of this eruption of wholly predictable violence, showed commendable athleticism. Many of them reportedly fled for dear life. The visuals of media vans being attacked by irate mobs in a long spell of brutality were viscerally upsetting. For a moment, Modi's New India regressed several centuries in a BJP ruled state.

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Well, here's an outline of good governance, as was in evidence on the occasion of the conviction of a rapist, who passed for a godman. (That even after his conviction for heinous crimes, he continues to be referred to as "godman" is a sad commentary on our idea of God.)

Despite strictures and instructions by the high court, the administration made no worthwhile effort to prevent the volatile mob from assembling in insane numbers. Hundreds and thousands of them wielded lathis, reportedly supplied for the occasion. (Could not have been for benign or philanthropic purposes.)

They had been making explicitly provocative statements on their intentions at least for two days, robbing the Khattar government of any excuse for being taken unawares. It looks as if the administration was willing to be taken unawares.

The media were abandoned to the wolves! Even as OB vans were overturned, burned and personnel attacked, they looked totally abandoned by the so-called law enforcing agencies. The logic was soon explained by the president of BJP in Haryana.

cult_082517041459.jpg
Cult fear has brought Haryana and Punjab to a standstill for two days thanks to convicted rapist.

Here's what he actually said! "On such occasions, nothing can be done. The media should not have ventured into the vicinity of the mob, or provoked the people whose emotions were running high."

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The entire state administration went into hiding, as anarchy reigned supreme. The phones of those in authority sank into a deafening, deadly silence. So, here you have the essence of good governance: when in trouble you better take care of yourself. Don't invite trouble. Stay at home. Spare your breath to cool your porridge.

What this episode, like a few others of a similar nature, illustrates is the urgent need to re-examine our idea of religion. It applies not only to Dera Sachcha Sauda alone. All religious communities seem to have lost the capacity to think responsibly and rationally, when it comes to dealing with the frauds that thrive in the name of God.

This happens because that people are prevented from relating to God, who is Supreme Reason, by these fraudulent middlemen. When what now turns out to be a rapist installs himself in place of God, is it any wonder that the fervour of his followers assumes violent streaks?

Re-examining the idea of religion, refining obscurantist, cultic and orgiastic elements out of it, is critical to India's sanity and progress. It is hard to believe that triple talaq is a greater issue than women being raped by those who don the garb of religion. Rather than allow the so-called godmen to use religion as an alibi for flying in the face of the law of the land, they should be brought to book promptly and decisively. We should refuse to believe that there can be any holy crime! We need to be highly intolerant towards religious criminals.

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Criminality in anyone who fools people in the name of God should be dealt with, with exemplary sternness. If there can be law to deal with bogus advertising in industry and commerce, why not at least apply existing laws to those who manipulate and mislead gullible people in their thousands?

Why did the BJP government fail so miserably in dealing with the situation? Why did they allow the crowds to have a field day, despite section 144 of the IPC being in force?

Why was a massive crowd allowed to assemble barely a kilometre from the CBI court?

Well, we can only speculate. Fortunately, in this case there are grounds on which a reasonable speculation can be attempted. The clue is in the ministers and party big-wigs going into hiding. They did not want to be forced to interfere. Why?

How can you act against a man to whom you are so hugely indebted for your kursis? Not only that. In this instance, the Haryana government chose to be too clever by half. They gambled, knowing full well that there will be no political cost if it misfired, given the disarray in which the opposition is.

The BJP gambled on the possibility that the CBI court might acquit Ram Rahim. In such an event, the party would stand to gain immensely from the fact that the party did not forget to be grateful to its prime political asset in the state. His followers would have been hugely delighted and eternally grateful.

But this is not governance. This gambling. But there is a small problem with gambling. Gambling being an irrational exercise, those who have recourse to it, fail to think rationally.

How else are we to explain the most glaring fact that, despite violence in the aftermath of an adverse verdict being absolutely predictable, the state administration was voluntarily unprepared for it? Even the ever-alert politicians, who are quick to turn human suffering into profit, were conspicuous by their absence. No one with 56 inches chest span was seen striding the scene, gathering the debris of this piece of good governance.

Hard to believe, the rape of two women does not matter? The suspicious death of a few citizens does not matter? All that matters are depraved, unconscionable calculations of electoral profit and loss? Of course, there is no need to worry. Articulate women can always be found to justify any atrocity on women under the aegis of politics.

This is not a weakness of the BJP alone. The Congress too has played the Ram Rahim card, whenever it was available. For that reason, the party will not be able to speak with conviction on this issue. Past liabilities will rob you of effectiveness of speech, if not freedom of speech. But what is freedom of speech worth, if you cannot speak with conviction and authority?

Last updated: August 27, 2017 | 22:26
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