#SuperstitiousIndia: Did Modi avoid this district fearing loss in Karnataka?
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah took a dig at Prime Minister Modi for not doing a rally in the Chamarajanagar district, infamous for black-magic. Mocking the PM, Siddaramaiah claimed, "This was out of fear. He fears that if he goes to Chamarajanagar he will lose his chair." For decades, many politicians and bureaucrats have avoided the "most backward district" fearing loss of power. But why?
When the longest serving CM lost power
It all started after the longest serving Karnataka CM, late D Devaraj, lost power within six months of visiting the Chamarajanagar district. It didn't stop there, as another CM, late Gundu Rao, met the same fate after visiting the "black magic" city, thus inciting fear.
When Yeddyurappa slept naked
This is not a one-off incident. In 2012, reports claimed then Karnataka CM Yeddyurappa was asked to sleep naked on the floor for 3 nights and also do 12 Surya Namaskars in a river, that too naked. The advice was given by his astrologer, who was trying to protect Yeddyurappa from evil forces as he felt dark forces were conspiring to throw him out of the CM's seat.
Noida: A city that offers political retirement?
Things aren't so different in the north either. When Akhilesh Yadav was the CM, he never visited Noida fearing loss. He would inaugurate projects from his residence in Lucknow. As a CM, only Yogi Adityanath and BSP supremo Mayawati have dared to visit the city in the last 29 years. The fact that so many politicians are scared of the city, is funny yet understandable.
After they visited Noida
In 1988, CM Veer Bahadur Singh lost power after visiting Noida. His successor Narayan Dutt Tiwari too went the same road in 1989, Mulayam Yadav in 1995, followed by Kalyan Singh (1999) and Mayawati (2012).
Haunted assembly? Purification of Rajasthan's Vidhan Sabha building
"The assembly is haunted by the departed," claimed a BJP MLA from Rajasthan. In February, BJP legislators demanded a puja be held to counter the evil spirits from the assembly building after two MLAs died within a year. They said the building stood on a cremation ground and since the assembly's relocation in 2001, at least one legislator had died in each term.
"Mahayagya" to ward off anti-India conspiracies
Further, in January this year, a week-long 'Rashtra Raksha Yagna' was organized at the Red Fort. BJP MP Maheish Girri said the yagya was against the "conspiracies" devised by the country's "inimical forces" and in a bid to create a "New India". In 2016, another yagya was organized by Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje near the Indo-Pak border to "protect (Indian) troops from the enemy."
The tragedy of superstition
Pleasing gods would make no sense if Indian politicians can't please their people with the power they have. We already have enough gods to look after our insecurities, but to look after everything else, we have given power to them. Use it!
