Cancerous Corruption
Vikram was fond of moving around in the graveyard in the
horrifying night to catch Vetal after day-long practice as chartered accountant.
For Vikram, friendship with Vetal was real education. Vetal being a spirit of
intelligent human frustrated in his lifetime, was still on the earth
posthumously to find answers to innumerable questions lingering in his mind
during his stint as human being. He developed friendship with Vikram. After
playing hide and seek game, Vikram used to catch Vetal in the wee hours of
morning. Then he would put Vetal on his shoulder and tread through the woods of
graveyard. Vetal would laugh weirdly in the silence of the graveyard and
thunder :
“So Vikrambhai, you succeeded to catch me once again, keep
walking, don’t look back, if you speak a word I will vanish. Well, I would tell
you a story of a spiritual guru like Bhagwan Rajneesh, Yogi Mahesh or Satya
Saibaba, well, you are clever enough to get the lead . . . . so our spiritual
guru Baba Ramjay was a very revered person. It was believed, after spending many
years in seclusion somewhere in the high altitudes of Himalaya, Baba established
connection with the almighty. He taught his confused disciples how to live life
in peace and tranquility, how to detach the mind from the mundane world and seek
solace beyond the present life. It was not surprising that he had disciples all
over the world, rich and wealthy. In search of peace of mind they were
squandering their wealth for Baba Ramjay. It seemed that Baba Ramjay’s
philosophy of life was “high living and high thinking”. Over a period he amassed
huge wealth in cash and kind through his charitable trusts or otherwise.
Obviously he was being spied on by the Income-tax Department. I mean he was on
the radar of the Department. A raid was conducted on Baba’s Ashram. On that day
his disciples were celebrating the most auspicious day, Baba’s birthday. It was
believed that he was incarnation of great Buddha. Baba chanted “Om Shanti Shanti
Shanti”. One of the disciples in the close circuit of the Baba announced :
“Ladies and gentlemen, for your kind attention those who wish
to express their gratitude towards our revered Baba Ramjay, we have kept
offertory box”
There was a sudden rush towards the offeratory box. What a
phenomenal impact Baba Ramjay had on the minds of his disciples. They were ready
to sacrifice, though not everything, but something which the government cannot
do through full-fledged tax laws. I think the Finance Minister should learn a
lesson from him how to mobilise funds. Jokes apart, Vikrambhai, Baba was about
to leave the “Dhyan Mandir” (meditation centre). A tall and middle-aged person
full of bureaucratic arrogance barged into the Dhyan Mandir along with his
assistants. Without losing much time he disclosed that he and his assistants
were from the Income-tax Department. He ordered all present not to leave the
place till his further order and asked to hand over cellphones to one of his
assistants. Baba Ramjay sank back in the sandal wood throne. When Baba was
trying to use his cellphone, the alert officer recovered the cell-phone from
Baba. Inwardly Baba was very furious at the audacity of the officer. But Baba
kept chanting “Om Shanti Shanti”. What else he could do ? nothing. The alert
officer was the chief of the raid team. He proceeded further. He showed the
search warrant to Baba Ramjay. Baba pretended to be still in trance of
meditation and said, “My child, I see great future for you, I can read from your
face, believe me, our tryst is pre-planned by the destiny . . . . . Om Shanti
Shanti.”
For a few moments the chief forgot his duty and bowed before
Baba to touch Baba’s feet. But after finishing the ritual the chief regained his
sense of duty as Income-tax Officer the moment he smelled sandalwood aroma of
Baba’s throne studded with precious stones and said mischievously, “Baba I will
meet you at some other time to check how great future I have. Right now I have
to record your statement about your great fortune, I mean your wealth, your
income in the present”
Baba realised that the chief was a hard nut. He was a bit
irritated.
Most of the questions Baba ducked by saying “My team of
Chartered Accountants would explain it, right now I am not aware of it”. It took
two hours to complete the recording of the statement. By that time Baba was a
fully grounded person. Baba realised “reality — not spirituality” would work in
this situation. Baba asked his assistant to arrange refreshments for the search
party. Baba and the chief moved from meditation centre to Baba’s closet.
“Look officer, I have a large number of disciples all over
the world. I have connections with political bigwigs, film stars,
industrialists, leading stockbrokers, etc. They adore me in their drawing rooms.
I don’t wish to waste my time in litigations. Let us now negotiate something
reasonable for you and other members of the search party”. Baba as an ordinary
human being exposed his mind to the officer.
The chief was very shrewd. He did not respond to Baba’s offer
instantly. He was thoughtful for a long time. His silence was killing Baba’s
patience. Eventually the chief broke his silence.
“Look Baba, I have strict instructions from the top, no let
up in the investigations. I am helpless.” said the chief. It was more a threat
than honest disclosure.
Thus the raid proceeded. At the end of the raid the chief and
Baba again went to Baba’s closet.
The chief put all the documents, notings and jottings
incriminating Baba and a couple of his close disciples, which the chief had
secreted from others during the course of search, on the table.
“Om shanti shanti” Baba chanted, staring nervously at the
chief.
“Gurudev, look at all these documents and papers, very damaging, they show your clandestine investments abroad, money laundering, violation of FEMA.”
” know, I know but you would agree that I have not earned any money from doing any “illegal business”, I mean black-marketing, smuggling, gambling or the like, all this money comes from my disciples teaching spirituality, guiding them how to live in peace and tranquility, giving them lessons of Yoga. Most of the donations are being accepted in the name of different trusts. All that money is being spent on philanthropic objects.” Baba made a futile attempt to earn sympathy.
“Gurudev, I am not concerned with your philan-thropic deeds, I know your trusts are doing great service to the society at large. But I can’t ignore all these papers and documents which implicate you individually. You are caught with your pants down.” For a while there was pin-drop silence in the room. Baba was flipping through the documents and papers.
“Why don’t you hand over those papers and documents having my reference as if you did not detect them at all ?” asked Baba staring at the chief.
“Ok, but not without price! What about other papers having names of your confidents, I mean second in command of the your Ashram ?” responded the chief.
“It’s for you to decide. Who am I to direct you?” the chief got pampered by Baba’s unexpected respect.
“Well, all right, I understand, so the deal is struck” said the chief.
Baba scribbled a figure on the paper and said, “Is this enough for you ?”
“It’s all right, but what about others?” queried the chief.
“Oh I just forgot them, how many are they?” asked Baba.
“Seven” said the chief making headcount on his fingers.
Again Baba scribbled a figure per member of the raid team on the paper and stared at the chief for his approval.
The chief hesitated, he asked for more.
“Okay, I increase the amount as you desire. Can you give me guarantee you will not pocket the amount meant for them ?” asked Baba.
“I would call them right now if you suspect my honesty towards my colleagues” retorted the chief.
“Om Shanti Shanti Shanti, I am sorry, I am sorry” said Baba with a smile on his face.
Baba got a “clean” chit. His team of chartered accountants managed to convince the assessing officer that in Baba’s case everything was on “board”, nothing hidden or concealed. However Baba’s three disciples were implicated to the hilt for concealment of income and violations of different provisions of the Income-tax Act, FEMA, Customs, etc.
So Vikrambhai, my questions to you:
First how do you differentiate between Baba Ramjay and the chief ?
Second, what works in any given situation ?
Third, both Baba Ramjay and the chief are dishonest persons. Who would you prefer as a friend ?
If you remain silent knowing the answers to my questions, I will chop your head with your sword.” Vetal roared.
Vikarm began to answer,
“Both Baba Ramjay and the chief are social evils. But Baba is more dangerous than the chief. Forget his philanthropic deeds. The chief is an ordinary corrupt bureaucrat. Whereas Baba is an extraordinary corrupt member of the society, he pretends to be ‘spiritual’ for the society at large on the one hand and amasses huge wealth in the name of spirituality on the other hand. I think an avid spiritual person tends to abandon the mundane world in his pursuit to practise the principles of spirituality. Well, the chief has greed for money, whereas Baba has greed for money and ‘image’ both. Greed for image is more powerful than the greed for money.
Answer to your second question, in any given situation it’s not spirituality, ethics traditions or culture, but ‘survival instinct’ of an individual works. This survival instinct varies from individual to individual.
And lastly, I would prefer the chief as my friend instead of Baba Ramjay, Baba Ramjay is more selfish than the chief. He betrays his close confidents. On the contrary, the chief looks after the interest of his colleagues.”
“Vikrambhai, you broke the silence, I am vanishing” again VetaI’s laugh was echoing in the graveyard.
