Re: Why thousands riot to support bad boy gurus in India

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“It has been profitable here,” said Prabhu Ram, who sat under a tree playing cards with friends. “There has been employment for the men in the factories, schools for our children. Even the value of land has appreciated.”

“We think of this place as heaven,” said his friend Parhlad Singh, who works in one of the factories run by the sect, cleaning and packing pulses, the grains common in Indian cooking. “The work is good, their product is good and I am able to run my house on what I earn.”

But now all of that seems in jeopardy.

“Everyone fell silent, and it felt like we had gone numb,” a resident named Satbir Singh said of the moment when the verdict was announced on television. “Our father has gone to jail, but we hope someone keeps the organization running.”

In a village less than a mile away from the Dera sect’s headquarters, a group of farmers sat in a muddy field smoking a hookah pipe. “He provided so much employment. So much development,” said Mahaveer, who uses only his first name. “We all think that the accusation was false.”

Shaking his head, Mahaveer said, “The Sirsa district will fall back now. I feel they should release him. Earlier, this was such a desolate area. Now look at the difference. We have public transport here, two fire engines and a hospital. We have nothing else that we need or want right now. The Dera has given us every facility. We have schools to educate our children. Colleges for them to study as much as they want.”

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IC Doug
8/31/2017 10:22 AM PDT
"Singh lived a life of luxury, surrounded by doting followers who attended to his every need. Luxury cars and lavish furniture surrounded him. "

Americans have their own “godmen.” There are too many to name them all, but Joel Osteen, Franklin Graham and many other con artists swindle people in the name of god. As long as there are fools, there will be somebody to take their money.

AgentG
8/31/2017 10:16 AM PDT
This story reveals a deep pathology in Indian society, where the state is inherently considered corrupt and illegitimate, while godmen of similar ethnic origin to their followers are considered sacrosanct and can do no wrong. This exposes a deep and pervasive animosity to the idea of democracy and rule of and by the people in India. The government may be seen as a remaining vestige of British rule, because the class rift in India between rich and middle class (5%) and the poor (95%) is enormous and has never been socially addressed. Employers treat workers like slaves in many jobs. There is no meaningful interaction between social classes through constructive institutions. Furthermore, there is a tendency to rely upon religious identity and feelings to compensate for all the wordly ills in Indian society, and this is a coping mechanism when nothing else exists. But what is shocking to see again and again, is that there is ZERO belief in democracy as a means to improve government, and ZERO feeling by people that they are represented and have a voice in government.

OnTheVerg
8/31/2017
Why is it shocking? The democratic government has failed, miserably, to improve the lives of the lower 95% of the population. They are understandably reaching out for someone, anyone, to improve their life. For that improvement they are willing to overlook/forgive some disgusting behavior by anyone that lifts them out of the life they are trapped in. Sad, but not shocking.


waddaulookingat
8/31/2017 9:23 AM PDT
I was born in India. Was raised a hindu. I am of the opinion that these god men came to rise in the mid 90's because Hinduism kinda went moved away from it's core believes. It was no longer satisfying people's spiritual needs. Most of these god men are followed by people who have been left behind by economic prosperity.

Case and point I love watching this guy on Sunday morning who called "Nirmal Baba". People come to him to say hey I need a new job. His answer, you have not eaten ice cream in a while, eat ice cream for next 5 days.
I will never forget my uncle who passed some time ago( devote atheist) , his favorite thing to say was, "Study hard , work hard and if you fail miserably at both, open a temple and you will never starve".

chappell1
8/31/2017 10:28 AM PDT
Sounds like the US, only with televangelists.

Mastermind168
8/31/2017 11:48 AM PDT [Edited]
Your uncle was a smart man. My grandfather too, was a committed atheist who saw straight through the lies of religion, and was quite irreverent of it too.

calibrese
8/31/2017 7:27 AM PDT
Alt-religion? Who knew. Way ahead of what the megachurch evangelical pastors who preach the same here. This guy actually ran an entire town. Remember pastor Jones taking his whole cult with him when he went off his rocker?

marathe1
8/30/2017 3:59 PM PDT
Lets be clear - the article is about India and not a comparison between India and America.

So, all this nonsensical comments by Indians living in America or reading this article wherever they live about how America is just as bad - pure nonsense.

Now, as to these "god men" - I live part time in India so I can say from some experience.

It is not just uneducated and so called lower rungs of society who grab on to these "godmen" or "godwomen".

Indians in IT industry and many Indians living in America I know belong to some of these groups - and religiously follow these godmen and godwomen. Just go to some of their homes in America and you will get the picture.

As it is often said, robbers rob banks because that's where the money is. These "godmen" and "godwomen" want as their prize catch these Indians living in America - because on an average they have more money.

And these Indians in America think by following them, they still belong to India
......

And if these con artists attract "white" devotees, their star power multiplies exponentially in eyes of Indians.

In the end, it is greed that typifies Indian mentality and todays morality is the root cause of attractiveness to these "godmen" and "godwomen."

When this 56 inch chest prime minister - embraces Baba Ramdev at his political rallies - why would not common folks believe even though most think him to be just another con man?

This is not the last of these godmen - but more will follow in his footsteps.