Indian Guru Threatens To Form Yoga Militia, Agence France Presse, New Delhi, June 8
A television yoga guru who has led protests against corruption in india threatened to form a militia on Thursday as a new demonstration against the government drew thousands in New Delhi. Yoga star Swami Ramdev who was evicted from the capital along with thousands of followers at the weekend in a police crackdown, warned of violence if he was targeted again. The activist, an eccentric figure watched by millions of Indians daily on a religious television channel, called for men and women to join his ”army” ”They must be dedicated, ready to make the ultimate sacrifice” he said from his base in the northern India in remarks reported by the NDTV news channel. ”They will be given arms training . We will build an army of 11,000 men and women. His spokesman said that the force would have weapons but would act only in self-defence. He said that Ramdev who has been fasting since Monday was determined to stand up ‘to police if they again attacked him or his supporters. In the capital, thousands gathered at the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi, considered the father of the Indian nation, to join a one-day hunger strike in solidarity with Ramdev. Led by Anna Hazare, a 73-year-old activist who observed a 98-hour hunger strike against corruption in April, several thousand made their way through tight security to join the demonstration. Anger about corruption is mounting in India after a series of scandals, notably a telecom licence scam that might have cost the country up to $39 billion. Some observers predicted the government’s heavy-handed treatment of Ramdev a strict social conservative with radical views on how to tackle corruption, could lead to further protests. But the gulfs call for an army and the threat of violence is likely to alienate many Indians who had previously sympathised with his cause. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has faced criticism for his handling of Ramdev. Governement ministers attemptend to applease him initially by listening to his demands before switching tactics and ordering the police crackdown that left more than 70 injured, including two seriously. One of India’s most popular authors, Chetan Bhagat, has orchestrated an online campaign against the government, calling on his followers on Twitter to observe a one-day fast in solidarity with Hazare and Ramdev.
Questo è stato l’articolo con il quale ho cominciato a raccogliere i ritagli, giugno 2011, a Kathmandu.
Riciclaggio, evasione, isteria collettiva, spiritualismo, misticismo, yoga, milioni di fans e ovviamente uno show televisivo.
Nonostante ci siano sempre meno motivi per andare avanti, motivazioni comprensibili, razionali, in un mondo alla deriva, fortuna ci sono notizie come queste. Perché questo mondo è anche divertente e ridere è un’attività abbastanza soddisfacente (dopo un altro paio di cose). L’umanità, nel suo insieme grottesco, fa ridere, tanto e non ci resta altro che ridere (visto che il piangere non è servito a molto). L’India da questo punto di vista è un mix esplosivo che regala a piene mani leggerezza, follia, irrazionalità. Questa è una notizia che dovrebbero riportare in mondovisione, eppure rimane relegata solo qui in oriente, a qualche miliardo di persone. A dimostrazione di quanto la nostra stampa sia noiosa.
Ho mostrato l’articolo a compagni di viaggio inglesi, americani, tedeschi e sono tutti scoppiati a ridere increduli, come ho fatto io. Forse la minaccia è improbabile: difficile immaginare migliaia di adepti che diventano una yoga-militia che a colpi di kung fu conquistano stato per stato l’India, per arrivare chissà dove. Il nostro corrispettivo, quel signore che ha minacciato per anni la secessione a colpi di moschettoni, non ha lo stesso potenziale. Forse è risultato più credibile, a qualche milione di votanti, ma rimane comunque un noob del separatismo.
