The news that Baba Ramdev will be honored with Padma awards on January 26, 2015 is already bombarded with lots of compliments, jokes and criticism. While Ramdev Fans are going gaga over it, many of the intellectual pretending journalists have gone too far to prove that their illogical criticism is justified.
An article published Firstpost today reads – “Padma Award to Ramdev is wrong: He’s a business tycoon, thanks to blind faith”. It’s written by Senior Editor of the website, Sandipan Sharma.
A casual reading of the article may make you believe that Mr. Sharma is trying his hands at satire, but then as you move to the next paragraph, you will be surprised to find how much hate the writer has for a person who is earning money and fame through imparting yoga exercises and ayurvedic medicines.
Yes, Baba Ramdev is open about his political affiliations and occasionally airs some of his regressive and old-fashioned views on some topics e.g. on homosexuality – reasons due to which he attracts hate. But is Mr. Sharma driven by these two?
The first one (political affiliation) shouldn’t be an issue for a journalist, unless the journalist is of the rival political camp. In fact, Mr. Sharma should have respect for Baba Ramdev, who is not pretending to be some “neutral” or “unbiased” public figure – something that many celebrity journalists do.
I will not make any comment on political affiliation of Sandipan Sharma as I don’t know him personally, so I would assume that his hate is due to the second reason – Mr. Sharma is one of those who love to hate Ramdev because it helps them appear “superior” in thinking.
However, like many Ramdev hating people, Sandipan Sharma appears confused whether he is angry because Ramdev is earning money, or because Yoga is earning money, or because “gau-mutra products” (he conveniently reduces Ramdev’s range of products to these) are selling well.
But why should any of these be any reason for concern? None of these are examples of “blind faith” as the Firstpost article tries to suggest.
I checked profiles of doctors who have been honored with the Padma awards in the past. Most of these doctors are well-established ones, who charge good money for the cure and maintain a lavish lifestyle. For example, in 2012, the CEO of the biggest mass-spamming organization in India, Dr. Mukesh Batra was awarded Padma Shri.
For your information Mr. Sharma, Yoga and Ayurved are far more scientific and effective than homeopathic medicines. I hope the Senior Editor in you feels as much disgusted and angered because a business tycoon like Mukesh Batra was given the award 3 years ago?
I have met many people who appreciate Ramdev, and none of them are consuming bhasm or gau-mutra, as the Senior Editor loves to imagine.
And what is this obsession with mutra (urine) Mr. Sharma? Our ex-PM Morarji Deasi was conferred with Bharat Ratna. He used to drink his own urine. Inspired by him, many people followed the same practice. I hope you also feel disgusted at Morarji Desai? Please do write the next article as hate really makes you write good.
In the last paragraphs, the senior editor gets more personal and sillier. He mocks faith of Bhakts in Ramdev and quotes a random example “One of his disciples, for instance, brushes his teeth daily with petrol to get rid of paan masala stains.”
It is as funny as ridiculing Salman Khan for the reason that one of his random fans walks topless on roads. A senior editor putting his opinion based on such statistics makes me feel uncomfortable.
Ramdev may have put weird and unscientific statements about homosexuality or economics, but the fact that he, as a Yoga Guru, has helped masses can’t be ignored or rejected. Unless of course, you believe that yoga itself has to be ignored and rejected, because every native Indian knowledge deserves that treatment.
Padma awards are conferred to citizens of India to recognize their distinguished contribution in various spheres of activity including the Arts, Education, Industry, Literature, Science, Sports, Medicine, Social Service and Public Affairs. If Ramdev has massively contributed to any of these, his haters should either change the criteria of awards or try to work on their frustrations, which blinds them from seeing the other aspect of a person.
