Question of faith, and fraudsters

In the sci-fi thriller The Matrix, the messianic hero Neo is asked by his mentor Morpheus whether he believes in fate, to which Neo says, “No, because I do not like the idea that I’m not in control of my life.” And it seems it was a similar sentiment shared by a petitioner named AK Hemraj, who recently approached the Madras High Court with a peculiar plea, seeking the assistance of higher officials in spreading awareness that the science of astrology might not be based on any science at all. The first bench of the MHC comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice PD Audikesavalu, went on to dismiss the plea, stating that such matters cannot be appropriately dealt with in court. The duo added that even science in such regard is not complete or absolute. The two judges clarified that a certain degree of independence must be given to an individual to exercise his right to believe, imagine and ponder over the same. This recent development shines a light on a touchy topic, as far as Indians are concerned. The notions of astrology and horoscopes are intrinsically tied to the lives of millions of Indians. For most believers, it’s a calculation or forecast that spans the entire gamut of life events - from the cradle to the grave. From the setting up of matrimonial alliances and wedding dates, to the construction of that dream home or laying the foundation stone for a brand new office building, astrology more or less has an all-pervasive impact on the nation of a billion. Interestingly, it has even transformed from a cottage industry into a billion-dollar enterprise today, with reams of newsprint and magazine pages being dedicated to foretelling daily forecasts and weekly predictions, and TV channels specifically dedicating time slots for such estimates. And while it might be convenient to go by the dictum of “to each his own”, what has been witnessed over several years now is how several unscrupulous agents have used the cover of astrology to take advantage of credulous individuals, some of them, who happened to be well-read and in positions of power. In January this year, a self-styled astrologer, who had claimed to be on a first-name basis with many top political leaders, was arrested by the Bengaluru police crime branch. He was held on account of allegedly cheating a retired high court judge of more than Rs 8 cr with the promise of a “high position” that could materialise via his connections. But it’s not just old-timers, even tech-savvy youngsters have sought divine intervention to future-proof their lives. Last month, it was reported that a doctor from Hyderabad had sought the help of an astrologer that she had met online, to clear the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination. He then swindled her of Rs 80,000 under the pretext of performing some pujas, and rituals. Similarly, an individual in Ahmedabad, who was dumped by his girlfriend ended up losing Rs 44 lakh to an astrologer-cum-tantric who promised him that he could win back the affection of his lover, after the completion of a few rituals. Of course, the woman went on to marry another man and the lovelorn individual ended up with threats of physical harm from his astrologer who scooted with the money. Upon his complaint, the police filed a case under Sections 406 (breach of trust), 420 (cheating), 506-1 (criminal intimidation) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy). There are several cases pan-India that go unreported and they point to our collective naïveté as a society. And it’s also why the MHC bench clarified that the State, in its parens patriae role could evolve a mechanism, where citizens can be better informed and evil practices are given up. Following the murder of the rationalist Narendra Dabholkar in Aug 2013, the Maharashtra Cabinet cleared the Anti-Superstition and Black Magic Ordinance, in December 2013. It’s about time that such legislation is adopted on a Central level, considering the free run that religious charlatans enjoy in India.