MALAPPURAM
north Kerala is the land of the Thangals, upper-class Muslims known for their
belief in black magic and obscurantist healing techniques. That they flourish in
Kerala, a state synonymous with a high literacy rate and rich rationalist
tradition, is no contradiction, for tantriks and godmen of all faiths are as at
home here as the die-hard stalwarts of the CPM. The Thangals were propelled
into acrimonious limelight last month when a Congress leader, film producer
Shoukath, demanded an investigation into their practices, thus running afoul of
the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). The lUML is simultaneously the Congress’
biggest ally in Kerala and its toughest rival for Muslim votes. It is also
headed by high-profile healing practitioner Panakkad Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal:
Shoukath’s demand was seen as a direct challenge to his authority. Tempers
flared on either side and Sonia Gandhi had to send an emissary from Delhi for
damage control.
With the IUML
warning the Left against any investigations into the Thangals, the issue is
likely to die down. A probe, however, could yield startling, if not ugly,
results. Only last month, a bemused Kerala watched the arrest of Santhosh
Madhavan aka Amruta Chaitanya Viswachaitanya, the Kochi-based godman with three
underage rape complaints against him and an Interpol red-corner notice for
fraud. Then there was Himaval Maheswara Bhadranandaji who made the news for
running a prostitution racket. According to police data, there are over 350
‘spiritual leaders’ in the state with criminal records. At least a dozen of
these persons are said to be engaged in illegal hawala transactions in the Gulf
countries. Other crimes range from the benami purchase of land for VIPs, the
making and distribution of pornographic films and the rape of minor girls.
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His unholiness Santhash
Madhavan is arrested |
Kerala has
over 350 ‘spiritual leaders’ with a criminal background, and their number is on
the rise |
DEVIL’S WORK
IN GOD’S NAME
A crackdown on godmen in Kerala reveals the dark side of the multi-crore faith
industry, reports KA SHAJI |
“To these
people, spirituality is just a cover to engage in unlawful activities” observes
Jacob Punnoose. Additional Director General of the Kerala police. “They cash in
on people’s insecurities and get rich overnight.” But the police in Kerala are
also the target of public ridicule for themselves patronising godmen. A senior
police officer was suspended for his involvement in Madhavan’s illegal dealings;
a woman IPS officer is also among Madhavan’s devotees. Bhadranandaji’s arrest
created a flutter when he threatened to shoot himself with a pistol at a police
station - a circle inspector and six of his immediate subordinates were
suspended for allowing him to attempt suicide on the station premises.
“The regular
clients of these god men with criminal backgrounds include politicians, film
stars, bureaucrats and business men,” says writer P. Surendran. He also says
that these nobody, dares to touch the fraudsters as they are well-connected with
even the administration and the police sanctioning privileges for them that are
normally reserved only for VIPs.
The crimes are
not restricted to the godmen alone. Matha Prasanna, from Kollam district in
south Kerala, was arrested recently in connection with a visa fraud. She had
taken money from several persons by promising them work visas in Gulf countries.
In the course of the raid conducted at her house and prayer home, the police
uncovered bank passbooks and documents of land transactions.
Another
prominent woman ‘oracle’ now under arrest is Swamini Divya joshi of the Rudrath
Vishnumaya Ashramam in Thrissur. According to police sources, 36-year-old Divya
had often provided semi-nude ‘darshan’ to devotees, including males. The police
found incriminating documents pertaining to unaccounted money during a raid
conducted at her ashram following a complaint from a woman. The complainant in
her petition had alleged that Divya Joshi had
promised to cure her by performing
poojas. Accordingly, the woman had paid Divya Joshi Rs 44,700 for the conduct of
the poojas in December last year. But, unsurprisingly, she continued to suffer
from her disease despite the poojas.
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Several other
godmen, including a Christian, are in the police list. Among them are Pastor Sam
Kuzhikala, who is facing a nonbailable warrant for issuing fake cheques; Siddhan
Kattachira, who cheated his devotees; and Swami Sunil Das, who amassed crores by
using his access to VVIPs. All of them are under police watch. “Kerala is now
besieged by godmen and women who are widely patronised by political leaders,
which gives legitimacy to the superstitions surrounding them; says historian KN
Panikkar. He feels that the crisis-ridden middle class is drawn to spiritual
retreat so as to escape the pressures of a ‘globalised’ life. “The resulting
social hegemony of religious discourse legitimises religious social division.
Consequently, Hindus, Muslims and Christians have emerged as separate entities,
not only in their personal and domestic lives, but also in social existence”,
observes Panikkar. |
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According to
psychiatrist PM Mathew of Vellore, insecurity is the driving force that forces
people into the hands of godmen. “The craze for easy money and the fear of
losing illegally amassed money are forcing many to look for superstitions;’ says
Mathew.
The official
drive against godmen, hitherto restricted to Hindu swamis, is now providing
sleepless night to certain self-appointed evangelists as well. A high-profile
evangelist in Thiruvalla in south Kerala is currently under pressure to explain
an “unaccounted” amount of Rs 900 crore his trust received from the US. Bishop
K P Yohannan has been under the watch of police for having received funds from
the Texas-based Gospel for Asia for the past 12 years. The police claim that a
trust closely held by Yohannan and his relatives had received Rs 1,044 crore for
charity from a Texas body since 1995, but spent only Rs 144 crore on such
purposes.
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Bishop KP
Yohannan is under pressure to account for Rs 900 crore his trust received from
the US |
“I am not
against spiritual leaders. But I cannot accept a situation where only the small
fish are caught and the big sharks are allowed to roam free. There should be an
inquiry into the backgrounds of these leaders and their sources of income”, says
writer-activist Dr Sukumar Azhikode.
AZHIKODE
DEMANDS a thorough probe even into the assets of Kerala’s popular “hugging
saint”, Mata Amritanandamayi. According to him, the government drive against
godmen will have no meaning if it fails to include the Mata and Shihab Thangal.
Azhikode’s open demand has irked the Mata’s devotees, and he is now receiving
abusive phone calls and threats to his life. A group of progressive writers in
Kerala recently launched a forum to counter the attacks against Azhikode from
Mata’s followers.
TN Jayachandran,
former additional chief secretary of Kerala, feels that fake swamis surface due
to the degeneration of society in general. “Godmen make their presence felt
because those who have power and money search for temporary peace through them,”
says Jayachandran. The godmen, he says, in turn exploit these high-profile
people to expand their base and fame.
E.Joy, a
Thiruvananthapuram-based doctor, said he was pained to see literate Kerala
succumbing to the godmen phenomenon. “These godmen will not have any
significance if people don’t go after instant peace and comfort,” noted Joy. He
also observed that in a fastmoving world, where money occupies the highest
place, many think that there are shortcuts to achieving peace and comfort, and
that was the secret of the godmen’s success.
WRITER’S
E-MAIL: shajl@tehelka.com
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