HVK Archives: Godman wages 'star wars' to save Laloo
Godman wages 'star wars' to save Laloo - The Times of India
Raj Kumar
()
19 March 1997
Title : Godman wages 'star wars' to save Laloo
Author : Raj Kumar
Publication : The Times of India
Date : March 19, 1997
It is perhaps a measure of Bihar chief minister Laloo Prasad
Yadav's desperation that he has fallen back on the resources of a
godman who claims to be fighting a 'star wars' campaign on his
behalf.
The man in his fifties could be dismissed as of no consequence but
for his access to Mr Yadav at whose official residence he has been
performing a 'yagna' for the last six months.
The chief minister has not only admitted that the godman, who
incidentally belongs to an upper caste, has been propitiating the
gods on his behalf but has also publicly dispelled doubts that
'swamiji' is just an accomplished tantrik.
Known variously as Shivaji Singh, Margadarshi or Berojgar, the
godman is a glib talker, ambitious and loves to spin yarns about
himself. In a meeting with this reporter he proudly displayed the
large number of newspaper reports about him and his prowess and
went on to give an assurance that he would provide something
exclusive.
Like the Buddha, he claims, he received enlightenment under a
peepul tree-- fittingly enough at Delhi and not Bodh Gaya. In the
same breath, the 'neo-Buddha' confided that he has also acted as an
informer for the CBI. As proof, he produced correspondence to show
how a tip-off from him had helped the CBI to recover stolen
antiques worth Rs 4 crore from the house of a bureaucrat.
Former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto and former prime
minister of Nepal Sher Bahadur Deuba will perhaps be startled to
know that they owe their ignominious ouster from power to this
Rasputin of Bihar. He nonchalantly claims that it was he who
diverted the course of Saturn in the direction of Pakistan and
Nepal. Or else, he confides, its malefic influence would have
"derailed the fortunes of his friend and disciple Laloo Prasad
Yadav", he added.
He describes himself as the traffic controller of the cosmos and
claims to change the direction of planets at will. "The judiciary
and the CBI are indulging in daydreams if they think they can send
Lalooji to jail," he said, punctuating his comment with several
expletives. "I have already saved him, man," he added in affected
English.
However, his neighbours in Srikrishna Nagar are skeptical of his
prowess. In fact, they are highly amused by the flutter created in
the media over a godman who was at one time better known as a
dubious journalist bringing out a tabloid pamphlet titled
'Berojgar'.
He Is believed to have registered a large number of dubious
newspapers and made his money. He has clearly done well for
himself, if his claims are to be believed. He runs 'ashrams' at
New Delhi, Ayodhya and Patna, claims to be the bureau chief of an
organisation styled 'Press News of India' and also--hold your
breath-- 'The Space Information Service Committee' based at New
Delhi.
The godman, however, had to file an affidavit before the notary in
order to convince the chief minister. When the chief minister
broke his ankle last year, he recalled, people taunted him that his
'yagna' was of no use. The swamiji therefore filed an affidavit
and gave details of the 'star wars' that he has fought on behalf of
the chief minister. The Bihar chief minister was clearly impressed
enough to repose his faith in the man who swears that Mr Yadav will
one day become prime minister.
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