Swami Ramdev Steals Electricity
March 30, 2011 by matheikal 7 Comments
Swami Ramdev was in Kerala propagating his religion, his version of the yoga and probably his emerging political party.
There’s no problem with any of those activities. Any Indian citizen has every right to propagate his religion, promote his political party, and even teach yoga as long as it does not go against the existing medical ethics.
Swami Ramdev did not break any of those rules. But he, or his followers, indulged in stealing. And the Kerala Electricity Board slapped a heavy fine on the Swami. When the Swami refused to pay it, the Kerala Police had to be called. Finally the Swami had to relent and pay up.
What did the Swami do, according to a report telecasted on Asianet News [prominent Malayalam TV channel] yesterday [March 29]? His men took the electric power required for his function from the electric lines without getting any required permission for it. Nothing more.
When the authorities concerned questioned the Swami’s people they were surprised. They said candidly that it was the normal procedure they followed wherever they went. They took the electric power from the electric lines that passed nearby with the help of their own electricians.
It is possible that millions of the Swami’s followers will come to his support saying that the Swami cannot be aware of what his followers did. In this case, that logic will not ever hold water. It IS the Swami’s duty to know from where his functions get the required resources. It IS the Swami’s duty to know whether his followers who arrange the function [they won’t be more than a score] are breaking the laws. It IS a serious matter if the Swami or his followers have been indulging in the same crime for years in many places with absolute impunity.
When The Hindu revealed the Wikileaks about Mr Chidambaram’s remark regarding the difference between certain regions of India, there was a hue and cry in the Parliament. The hullaballoo only reveals the ignorance of our Parliamentarians about the difference which Mr Chidambaram referred to. There indeed is a lot of difference between the regions mentioned by the Home Minister. I mentioned it in my blog on the Rail Budget.
Swami Ramdev should not indulge in the kind of exploitation of the state’s exchequer that he seems to be doing according to what his followers revealed candidly to Asianet News. Their candidness only shows how a crime becomes an accepted norm in a particular region merely because it is in practice, unquestioned. Ticketless travel, for example, is not a crime in the Railways in many of the North Indian states simply because many people do it and nobody ever questions it. Nowadays, stealing has also become an accepted practice in the Indian Railways!
Is Swami Ramdev really a yogi? I don’t know. I know that he has political ambitions. About his yoga, let me give the following link which is highly revealing.
Ayurveda under the scanner
The following is an article by an acclaimed rationalist:
Sanal Edamaruku: The Guardian: TV Swami Ramdev and his cures!