Jump to content

Should gurus and babas lead political campaigns?


1983-2011

Recommended Posts

Indian guru Baba Ramdev has decided to press ahead with a hunger strike on Saturday to protest against corruption, after talks with the government failed.

The yoga guru says his fast is to protest against the illegal funnelling of wealth abroad by Indians for tax avoidance. Baba Ramdev called on his many followers to join the fast. The move follows April's hunger strike by activist Anna Hazare demanding tough anti-corruption laws. Anna Hazare ended a 96-hour hunger strike, known as the "fast unto death", after the government agreed to all of his demands and forced the government to change the way its new anti-corruption law was being drawn up. Baba Ramdev was one of the high-profile supporters of the April protest. Now the guru, who runs a huge yoga and health empire, says he will begin his own "fast unto death" as part of his campaign to bring back the illicit money - or "black money" as it is called in India - allegedly deposited in banks abroad. "India's money stashed abroad should be declared the wealth of the nation. And the act of stashing away illegally-got money in foreign banks should be declared a crime against the state," Baba Ramdev told Tehelka magazine in a recent interview. "The nation's wealth stashed in foreign banks should be brought back by India which should sign on to the UN convention against corruption." The US-based group Global Financial Integrity has said that India has lost more than $460bn through the illegal flight of capital since Independence. Almost three quarters of the illegal money that comprises India's underground economy ends up outside the country, it said in a report last year. Authorities say the government is taking measures to bring back the illegal money, but there are difficulties owing to confidentiality treaties between countries.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13624741
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Firstly ' date='is this a "political" campaign ? I dont think so although BJP is trying to get some mileage out of it[/quote'] If Baba Ramdev makes a political entry in 2014 then it will be a big loss to BJP, disillusioned Congress voters will turn to Baba Ramdev instead of BJP
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Gunner

A democratically elected government is being held to ransom by the babas and baburaos of this world. What a shame!! And if the Indian public votes for people like him, I think it will be time for me to relinquish my nationality since I would no longer prefer to be part of a mass of people that stupid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A democratically elected government is being held to ransom by the babas and baburaos of this world. What a shame!! And if the Indian public votes for people like him, I think it will be time for me to relinquish my nationality since I would no longer prefer to be part of a mass of people that stupid.
:hysterical::hysterical::hysterical: And do what, bow down to the queen ? :haha:
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is insane. Everyone now wants to do the fast biziness. I supported the Anna Hazare thingy as it seemed like a novel way to get our govt. to do something. Now this is getting to be too much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A democratically elected government is being held to ransom by the babas and baburaos of this world. What a shame!! And if the Indian public votes for people like him, I think it will be time for me to relinquish my nationality since I would no longer prefer to be part of a mass of people that stupid.
Totally, we stupid Indians should take cue from the Americans and vote in super smart articulate leaders like George " I can't spell my own name" Bush or maybe we should follow the European model of democracy and vote in fuhrers interested in mass genocide. :two_thumbs_up:
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll support any movement by anybody as long as it keeps the pressure on Kangress (firefighters - Pranab Da, Sibbal, and that barking dog, Diggy raja). For years they had taken things for granted. They've a list of people who have stashed away black money abroad but they are not even releasing it to Supreme court and making excuses.. So, even if Baba Ramdev is a publicity *****, I'm happy that it's making the UPA guys uncomfortable.. The slimy beetches now say they don't want PM, MPs, Judiciary and certain level of Babus to come under Lokpal preview.. This is how they do..They buy time and find out ways and means to ditch people. But after the effect it cause in recent election, I bet they'll take every such anti-corruption campaigns seriously..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm sorry to say, but I find some of the views here very harsh. So what if he is a Baba? He is taking up this fast for a very just cause. So far, it is safe to say that he is not corrupt as he hasn't had any real political power. If we, the people of India can vote in actors, criminals, scions of maharajahs, theatre personalities, why should we have any qualms against a Baba contesting. I don't understand this double standard. Really don't.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm sorry to say, but I find some of the views here very harsh. So what if he is a Baba? He is taking up this fast for a very just cause. So far, it is safe to say that he is not corrupt as he hasn't had any real political power. If we, the people of India can vote in actors, criminals, scions of maharajahs, theatre personalities, why should we have any qualms against a Baba contesting. I don't understand this double standard. Really don't.
People are not opposed to this Baba or for that matter anyone standing up for a just cause per se. I think everyone’s is so disillusioned at all the duplicity, cronyism and hypocrisy in this world, its impossible to not be skeptical and cynical of something. Hence, all the negative reaction towards this Baba (and his perceived publicity stunt)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Gunner
:hysterical::hysterical::hysterical: And do what, bow down to the queen ? :haha:
I will be a stateless person. :P
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Gunner
Totally, we stupid Indians should take cue from the Americans and vote in super smart articulate leaders like George " I can't spell my own name" Bush or maybe we should follow the European model of democracy and vote in fuhrers interested in mass genocide. :two_thumbs_up:
I didn't draw parallels with anyone, you did. Secondly, bringing in hitler is rather harsh in the modern day context particularly if you are not aware of the state of the weimar republich which led to that lunatic's rise. My point being that the Indian junta is digging a bigger and bigger hole for themselves. The simple way to sort out the problems is to follows the laws and regulations. Quit trying to cut corners at every opportunity.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Gunner
We are a democracy. Everyone has the right to undertake peaceful protest for a cause he/she believes in. This is getting a lot of publicity now because of the public debate around corruption after the huge scams
This is all nonsense. No one cares what that fool does but the PM bowing down to idiots like this is revolting. Stop pwning yourself!! This ****er is asking for black money to be repatriated to India, now how is one supposed to do that? Should the PM and all the cabinet ministers take jute bags and go to the cayman islands etc
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Gunner
I'm sorry to say, but I find some of the views here very harsh. So what if he is a Baba? He is taking up this fast for a very just cause. So far, it is safe to say that he is not corrupt as he hasn't had any real political power. If we, the people of India can vote in actors, criminals, scions of maharajahs, theatre personalities, why should we have any qualms against a Baba contesting. I don't understand this double standard. Really don't.
What just cause? Explain to me if what he is asking for is logical or reasonable in anyway.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What just cause? Explain to me if what he is asking for is logical or reasonable in anyway.
Amid a raging controversy over black money allegedly stashed by stud farm owner Hasan Ali in Swiss banks, Switzerland has said it is awaiting a "complete" request from India for help in this case since 2007. http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4866783
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I didn't draw parallels with anyone' date=' you did. Secondly, bringing in hitler is rather harsh in the modern day context particularly if you are not aware of the state of the weimar republich which led to that lunatic's rise. [/quote'] Fair enough. But I didn't call Indian people a " mass of people that stupid", you did. I got in the Hitler example to show that this stupidity ( and worse) can happen even in nations with high literacy rates and lower corruption. Lots of morons have been elected from the Western countries. Is it because the masses there are that stupid? My point was Baba or no Baba, the voting patterns of Indian people do not indicate their stupidity levels. Why is the Indian junta digging a bigger hole for itself if they vote for this Baba? I didn't quite follow your point.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...