SECULARISM

A.J. Philip on Religious Superstition in Secular India

Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral in response to a newsman's query declared that he was a rationalist and would be guided solely by cerebral considerations. In his first address as Prime Minister, he committed himself to upholding the values of science. Yet, within a few days, he had to bow to pressure and change the timing of the swearing-in ceremony of his colleagues form the Tamil Maanila Congress. Nobody knows whether the timing they finally chose was auspicious for the nation or for themselves.

The incident underlines the extent to which superstitious beliefs have taken root in the political life of the country. This despite the Constitution eloquently enjoining upon every citizen "to develop the scientific humanism and the spirit of enquiry and reform". It is saddening that no leader talks about cultivating a scientific bent of mind among the people.

When Indira Gandhi started out as Prime Minister, she was as much known for her disdain for religion as her great father. But as she began to consolidate her position, she put a high value on an assortment of religious charlatans, including a modern-day Rasputin, who marked a gun in the name of Lord Shiva. Again, it was during her time that an ascetic who lived on a tree had the satisfaction of putting his foot on the head of such a powerful personage as the then Home Minister.

Rajiv Gandhi had such a vacuous faith that he willy-nilly became a tool in the hands of his advisers. Amazingly, he showed readiness even to exploit religion for his political purposes as underscored by the opening of the Ayodhya shrine, the shilanyas he permitted at the disputed site, and the 1989 electoral campaign he launched from the temple town with a fake Ram and Hanuman beside him on the dais.

However, the worst experience the nation had was during P.V. Narasimha Rao's tenure when tantrics and clerics of doubtful integrity had a field day. The influence Chandraswamy wielded on him needs no recapitulation. But few people realise that the swamy was not the only one of his kind ... allowed to dabble in statecraft. As astrologer from Haryana, who had unlimited access to 7, Race Course Road, overnight became the most sought-after practitioner of the occult. Aspirants for ministerial and other positions of power knew that a nod from the astrologer was all that was required to realise their ambition.

Rao's present-day troubles can, in fact, be attributed to the ill-effects of the unholy company he kept.

It is not difficult to understand why those holding high positions tend to be superstitious. The higher one goes up in life, the higher the risk one faces. When a rickshaw-puller sets out on his work, he just murmurs a prayer whereas a film's muhurat is always an elaborate affair. The first time Deve Gowda became an MLA and was given a modest government accommodation, he would not have made a fuss of any vastshastra. But when he became Prime Minister by a quirk of fate, he did not mind wasting enormous sums of public money on redoing his bungalow in consultation with his spiritual advisers, who were a legion.

Similarly, when tantrics attributed the then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.T. Ramarao's political and personal woes to the use of the wrong gate at the State Secretariat ordered its demolition and reconstruction within a few days of the construction strictly in accordance with the vastusashtra specifications, NTR found himself on the streets.

It is nobody's contention that those in power should give up their religious beliefs and practices. They have every right to choose any form of worship but it should not be at the cost of the public exchequer. After all, in a secular polity, religion is strictly an affair between man and God and the State has no role in it.

The huge expenditure the nation had to bear for K. Karunakaran's monthly visits to the Guruvayur temple (as) Chief Minister of Kerala and later as Union Minister of Kerala and later Union Minister will never be quantified.

(Source: The Indian Express, 22 May, 1997)

Suresh Pachouri's Bill for Prohibition of Using Images of Gods and Goddesses as Trade Marks

A Bill to provide for the prohibition of using images of Gods and Goddesses or founders of religions who are worshipped by their followers as trademarks particularly in harmful substances such as tobacco, tobacco products and intoxicating substances and for matters connected therewith.

Main Clause

2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, -

 (b) "images of Gods" include images of Goddesses and founders of various known religions who are worshipped by their followers.

3. No. person shall, after one year of the commencement of this Act, apply images of gods as trade mark on a package which he intends to sell to any prospective consumer, dealer, or retailer in the market.