One has heard of voodoo in Haiti, witchcraft and witch doctors in Africa .Films of horror genre starting with Dracula have familiarised the people with the haunting spectre of evil spirits who could strike ayone , any time and make a mess of their lives.As a rule , a human being does not have the courage to face the truth: that he is the master of his fate and captain of his destiny.
This mindset bordering on escapism makes him search out others or other reasons for his failures and frustrations. And this is where black magic, witchcraft come in as handy excuses for his failures and frustrations.
But this is at the personal level. In Karnataka, banamathi as it is called was widely prevalent. Or so said the people whose families were affected by it. A team of scientists and neurologists found no evidence to support these fears.Yet such fears prevail among people.
But this is the first time a responsible political leader, who was opposition leader, deputy chief minister and even chief minister of the state for a week has accused a former prime minister of practices like black magic to rob the rivals of their dues and eliminate them also.
The gravity of the charges could be read against the constitutional obligation of India that is Bharat to promote scientific temper.
The truth or otherwise of the charges is left to readers’ and viewers’ distinction.What is startling is the fact that such allegations have surfaced at all.It is true that there are different functionaries in natureand there are also contra agents perhaps. The ones who want to lead a life which would enmsure for them peace on earth qand peace in after life adopt living mode that would endear them to humans aswell as divine. The ones whose beings are engulfed by baser emotions resort to all tricks to further their possessions. And to them intolerance is a habit. MR Yeddyurappa, the Bharatiya Janata Party leader, says Mr Devegowda , the former premier, has resorted to baser practices to deprive him ofhis post. "My life is in danger" he says.
Now even the law and order machinery cannot bring powers beyond the physical to its fold, much less punish them or the people who invoke them.The surface evidence cited by Mr Yeddyurappa is insufficient.Yet it is a pointer. It is a fact that Mr Devegowda has been performance homas and havans for long, and in various places. The traditional view is that such rituals negat negative influences in life, especiallyof the planets.Uncharitable critics however say they could be targeted at rivals. The latter may then meet political oblivion, suffer some ailments or land in spots where no human agency could provide them succour.
It is a fact that Mr Devegowda found himself in political wilderness after his fallout with Ramakrishna Hegde, the chief minister at the time. Then he went to an astrologer in tamilnadu and wondered whether he would have a futureat least as a councillor in a city ward.The astrologer held out hope, that he would be theraja of India.Rajas and maharajas are gone out of circulation and devegowda took the prediction with a pinch of salt.
But it turned out to be true. He became thechief minister andl ater the prime miister of India.
And his rise also marked the downfall of his detractors. Either they lost their positions or lost their health and eventually lives.
The question now is : who could be the arbitrator .and how could he arrive at the truth or otherwise of the allegations?