Ham-handed police action had spun the situation created by a “godman” and his acolytes in a Haryana ashram into a full-blown crisis. It is a comment on police inefficiency that over 100 police personnel were hurt and 70 journalists injured while little progress was made towards storming the bastion. Instead of allowing journalists their freedom, the police were busy keeping them out of areas well beyond the focus of operations. A days-long siege and the gathering of intelligence about those holed up and surrounding the “godman” Rampal, wanted in a murder case, would have come to naught if not for the dramatic arrest late Wednesday night.
How the Haryana government allowed this situation to develop is testimony to the way its police force operates — with an aimlessly mighty show of numbers instead of intelligent planned action to bring to book a man who seems to have whipped up his followers into a frenzy to assert they are willing to die for him. The power of the state is “being browbeaten by a contemner” is one of the milder comments of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which has put out a warrant against Rampal.
The arrest of the former irrigation engineer who declared himself a reincarnation of Kabir was essential to avoid collateral damage. He is now also charged with waging war against the government of India. How the gullible have fallen prey to such an extent that they will take on the government is an abiding mystery of faith in godmen in the country.
