This is so frustrating. Some old guy had a dream there was gold beneath the ground and the entire might of the Indian government was put at his disposal – from police to excavation agencies – to dig the gold out? On the basis of a dream?
Anti superstition crusader Narendra Dabholkar was murdered in India so that people might cling to their beliefs. Instead of offering its support for the anti-black magic bill in Maharashtra, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) advised the government not to 'politicise' Dabholkar's murder. Till, today, in modern India, from Manipur to Maharashtra, women are still murdered to appease gods and goddesses; when they are believed to be 'witches'; and Hindu organisations say there is reason for it (aastha ka prashn: a question of faith). Will any of this ever change?
The central government has to take a share of the blame. It was only when the digging was well underway, that the government said they had begun digging on the basis of scientific information – not because some seer had seen a dream. But it was too late and the seer fable was too attractive not to pursue. Now he's seen another dream about more gold in another location. No doubt the government will dig there as well...
Does the state mimic society? Or does society mimic the state? Hard to say. Politicians are the most guilty of believing in and perpetuating superstition. BJP President Rajnath Singh does nothing without consulting his panchang and frequently changes timing of meetings because one or other graha is not in the right position. Politicians in UP, Bihar, west Bengal, Odisha especially will be laden with talismans – rings of all shapes and sizes, little pellet-like things rolled up in string and tied to their arm, feet, etc.
The justification given for this sometimes is that political life is so risk-laden that you tend to believe anything anyone will tell you if it mitigates the risk. Believing in higher powers helps. But in fact, all it does is perpetuate myth, suspend judgment and maturity and in many ways is anti-religion. You don't have to look far. Look at Asaram.
When Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai got marrried, there were rumours that because their horoscopes did not match,Rai was first married (variously) to a tree and a dog. Amitabh Bachchan had to come out in the open with a contemptuous rejection of all this, but years after the two were married. The rumours started after another one of these seers predicted that their marriage would be on the rocks if some spiritual 'precautions' were not taken.
Spirituality and religion is one thing. Superstition is another. By delaying its explanation on the Daundiya Kheda digging, the government has done a great disservice to rationalists. Someone should have thought of it earlier. That is, if anyone is thinking in the government...
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