Will the self-styled godman Bhole Baba, go unpunished and escape arrest? Also, why label this entire tragedy a ‘conspiracy’ when the SDM’s preliminary report on stampede did not indicate its possibility ? …by Humra Quraishi
A total of 121 human beings declared dead during the stampede at Hathras!
On 2 July, deadly stampede happened after a ‘satsang’ (religious gathering), at a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras, killing 121 people. Many more were injured and ruined and devastated!
Will the self-styled godman, Narayan Sakar Hari, also known as Bhole Baba, go unpunished and escape arrest? Bhole Baba seems to be tucked away in some safe refuge. It is strange that a certain political lobby and particular politicians appear to be adopting an obvious strategy to protect this man, who has had a rather tainted past record. News reports state that he was forced into compulsory retirement from the police department, where he served as a constable, after facing serious charges
Also, why label this entire tragedy a “conspiracy” when the SDM’s (Sub divisional magistrate) preliminary report on the stampede is this: “A crowd of more than 2 lakh people was present in the pandal. Around 1.40 pm, when Bhole Baba came out of the pandal, his followers started running towards him for ‘darshan’ and to collect the soil on which he had walked…Baba’s personal security and ‘sevadars’ started pushing and shoving the crowd due to which some people fell down. The crowd ran towards the open field where most of the people slipped and fell due to the wet slope.” Incidentally, this SDM gave permission for the ‘satsang’, and was also present at the venue when the incident occurred.
World Refugee Day
Every year on the World Refugee Day (20 June, 2024), I sit thinking of the sufis who had come from the Central Asian Republics and also from Iraq and Iran, seeking refuge in the Kashmir valley. They reached the Valley and did not move further. They settled down, and the local population accepted them.
Their dargahs and ziarats, dotted in and around Srinagar city, reminds one of that period in history when these sufis had travelled to the Kashmir valley. Many reached there as refugees, fleeing their home countries in search of peace. And in all probability must have found tranquility in such abundance in the Kashmir valley that none of them went back to their homelands.
Look how times have changed. Today, refugees in the world are finding the going to be tough…tougher it gets for them. Obviously the refugees of today cannot be expected to turn sufis or demonstrate mystical powers but surely they be accepted as they are. And don’t overlook the fact that seeking refuge is a state of mind. So many times don’t we just close our eyes and mentally transport ourselves, as though finding ways and means of escape, from one particular situation to the next, which could be a little further away from painful realities and insecurities of the day.
The tragic end of Guru Dutt
Guru Dutt’s birthday passed on July 9th. … And upcoming, in August, are the birthdays of some very extraordinary persons: poet Gulzar, writer Khushwant Singh, and veteran actress Vyjayanthimala Bali.
On the past several birthdays of Guru Dutt – 9 July – I do make it a point to read or rather re-read journalist Sathya Saran’s book – ‘Ten Years with Guru Dutt : Abrar Alvi’s Journey’ (Penguin). This book, launched several summers back, captures several details about Guru Dutt, the genius filmmaker and actor …In fact, let me add, Guru Dutt was a great looking genius! His emotionally charged eyes relayed much. He was one of those men equipped with a set of potent eyes!
Though I had never met him, I have been his ardent admirer. Each time I saw him on the big screen, I felt drawn to his emotion-laden eyes! Of course, not to brush aside all that melancholy hovering around his personality …till, of course, he took his life at the age of 39.
With this backgrounder, I never miss reading anything or everything related to him. I have read every possible input on him. I had also viewed Nasreen Munni Kabir’s documentary film on him – In Search of Guru Dutt.
I was keen to get answers to that tragic suspense – why did Guru Dutt kill himself? Those relevant ‘whys’ to that tragic end? Why was he going through that phase of severe depression? Why couldn’t his immediate family or even that supposed actress-lover be there for him? Why was he left all alone that night – that particular night when he was in acute depression, so much so that he killed himself during the course of that night?
In that documentary when Waheeda Rahman came on the screen, one was somewhat sure that she would utter something relevant. But I overlooked the fact that she was a seasoned actress. So, she spoke in that absolutely well-guarded way. She spoke only from the film’s point of view. No, she didn’t touch on the personal, but spoke only from the angle that he was a director of this or that film and those connected films – related aspects …She spoke in a synthetic way and left one hugely disappointed.
But, in contrast, Guru Dutt’s sister, Lalitha Lajmi, spoke out in that forthright way, in that documentary film…As the camera focused on her, her eyes seemed focusing on the floor and she’d said that her brother, Guru Dutt seemed to be possessed with one of those personalities that could be best described as “disturbed …on earlier occasions too he tried to commit suicide…once he was in coma for three days.”
And as the camera focused on Guru Dutt’s mother, sitting on what seemed like a wooden bed or takht, she spoke in a matter-of -fact tone, describing Guru Dutt’s childhood personality traits in these words: “He was very stubborn /ziddi …and did whatever obsessed him. And at times he would ask such questions that I thought I would go crazy answering them.”
It gets significant to point out that all the commentators came to one single conclusion – that Guru Dutt was a little too sensitive, a little too different, and little too passionate-cum- humane for the Bollywood industry. One of the commentators even said that if Guru Dutt would ever lie, his ears would ‘blush!’! I suppose, turn red! So obviously how could such an emotionally sensitive man survive in the harsh scenario of the filmi world!
Shatrughan Sinha carries a personality !
Shatrughan Sinha has been in the news, this time for apolitical reasons. I must say he and his spouse looked so very graceful at their daughter Sonakshi’s wedding reception… This brings me to write that Shatrughan Sinha is probably one of those actors-turned-politicians who is held in high regard in Bollywood. Years back, each time I interviewed Sunil Dutt, he would make it a point to tell me that only and only four Bollywood persons stood by him and his family when his son, Sanjay Dutt was arrested, and TADA cases slapped on him. “Only Dilip Kumar, Shatrughan Sinha, Rajendra Kumar and Pran saab were there, with me and my family… also some members from the South India Film Chambers. Nobody else.”
And years later, when I had interviewed Saira Banu, she again spoke very, very highly of Shatrughan Sinha… telling me that whenever a crisis hits he is there …She’d also detailed that he along with Dilip Kumar saab were there with Sunil Dutt, when Sanjay was arrested and the family was going through tough times.
It gets relevant to mention details of my meeting Shatrughan Sinha for an interview …I’d met and interviewed Shatrughan Sinha in1992, in New Delhi, when he was contesting as BJP candidate from the New Delhi constituency. He entered politics, joining the BJP in 1980 and made his electoral debut in 1992, contesting against fellow actor Rajesh Khanna in the by-election to New Delhi constituency. (He lost to Rajesh Khanna, the Congress candidate, by 25,000 votes.)
Taking you back to 1992. It was rather tough finding Sinha’s whereabouts but once that got over, the rest wasn’t too difficult …I recall it had taken me five days to find out where he was putting up in New Delhi and together with that his contact telephone numbers. And finally his brother, Dr Lakhan Sinha, gave the time for the interview at their apartment at the erstwhile controversial building the ‘White House ‘ ( then situated close to the Mandi House complex.)
And as I arrived there at the appointed time, I could meet Shatrughan Sinha in the lift itself …the lift taking us upwards to the eleventh floor where his apartment was situated. And before I could start off with my queries, I could see huge yellow-coloured marks on his kurta. He quickly explained the whys to it: “Oh no! This saffron scarf has left these marks … but this isn’t some BJP scarf but a “saropa” given to me at the gurdwara I just visited …just returning from there.”
And all through the hour-long interview with him, I kept wondering why on earth he’d decided to join the BJP, when he seemed some sort of a misfit in it! To my query why he joined the BJP in the context of its communal agenda, he exclaimed, “What communal! See, I’m not communal. See my track record… I’m friendly with the prime minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif. I have been friendly with the late Pakistani prime minister, General Zia, so much so that for any of their family functions I am invited by them. Then, I’m friendly with some families in Saudi Arabia…These are my personal friendships …I don’t believe who is a Hindu or who is a Musalmaan or a Christian…just believe in Insaniyat.”
If he truly believes in this Insaniyat theory then why didn’t he join any other political party? Why did he opt to join the BJP? With his ‘broad-minded’ views and a rather liberal approach, was he facing problems in the BJP? “No, no …Why! They know me. …I have so many friends in the Press and all come to me and they tell me they like me but not my BJP party! Bhai, did any God have a one hundred percent following!”
On whom he considers his leader, pat came the spontaneous reply: “My wife! Actually all husbands are henpecked. Some say so, some don’t, but all are. But seriously speaking, without Poonam I am handicapped!” With that he detailed that she is the one who decides on his clothes and what he ought to wear. “Even this kurta, Poonam picked up from a boutique! First time, I am wearing it today …generally I wear plain ones …I don’t believe in colours or motifs or embroidered or showy stuff …no showy stuff or exhibitionism.”
As the interview went on and progressed, I asked him about his views on the Babri Masjid.
And he said, “With due respect, if a masjid can be relocated in Saudi Arabia or in Pakistan, so why not here. Of course, to be done so with the consent of our Muslim brothers and for the sake of communal harmony…Big brother should give in …”
In this case, big brother here is the Majority community. Comment.
“ Yes, yes …But if that temple means”Mecca ” or”Medina ” to the Hindus so can’t the Muslims give in…There are 26 other mosques in and around Faizabad and nobody is asking for them; only this one, for it’s a matter of faith.”
But it’s said that the BJP has plans of ‘converting’ 30 other mosques into temples. Comment.
“I wouldn’t let that happen. Only this one and no further …I promise …I say this with folded hands.”
Even if your promise proves to be too costly for your political career or ambitions?
“ Yes, at any cost …I will stand by my promise…always do.”
