Haryana/Hisar:- The other day, a popular baba (spiritual leader) was seen on a TV broadcast claiming to exorcise ghosts and spirits. The frightened people sitting on the stage, the loud drums, chanting, screams, and the baba's so-called miracles—the entire scene resembled a serial or a play. This display of fear and miracles under the camera's glare might be entertaining for TRP (Television Rating Points), but it is extremely worrying for society. The devotees' faith is one thing, but the question is whether openly promoting such superstition is in line with Indian culture, reason, and scientific thinking?
In the Indian Sanatan tradition, concepts like ghosts, spirits, and evil influences have never been considered the fundamental basis of religion. The Vedas, Upanishads, and the Gita teach humanity to follow the path of reason, knowledge, self-reflection, and action. Our sages and saints have described liberation from ignorance and fear as the path to salvation. Nowhere is there any support for such frightening and false narratives that make a person feel weak, helpless, and dependent. Our culture is based on inner strength, self-confidence, and reason, not on any invisible fear.
Despite this, today some so-called tantrics and babas are exploiting people's weaknesses, ignorance, and mental problems, engaging in the business of fear. People who need medical consultation or psychological help are told that they are possessed by ghosts and spirits, thus subjecting them to even more mental anguish. Attributing epilepsy, depression, anxiety, hysteria, or other mental disorders to the influence of ghosts is not only wrong but also inhumane. This deprives patients of timely and proper treatment, and their condition worsens.
It is also observed that behind these so-called miracles lies a well-planned drama. First, fear is created, and then the baba performs 'miracles' with his mantras and rituals. Broadcasting such programs on TV channels only exacerbates the problem, as it gives these charlatans legitimacy and popularity. When the media itself starts presenting superstition as entertainment, who will speak of reason and science in society?
The saddest aspect is that even educated and modern-thinking people sometimes fall into the trap of such charlatans. When a crisis arises in life, an illness doesn't get cured, or a business suffers losses, some people abandon logic and science and seek refuge in tantrics. This trend shows that we have limited education to mere degrees, failing to make a scientific outlook and reason a part of life.
Today, there is a need to expose these charlatans and encourage the public towards scientific thinking. The government should take strict legal action against babas and tantrics who spread superstition. Anti-superstition laws exist in several states, but their effective implementation is still weak. The police and administration should play an active role in such cases to prevent the exploitation of innocent people.
The media also has a great responsibility. The broadcasting of such programs should be stopped for the sake of TRP ratings. Instead, scientific programs, rational debates, and awareness campaigns should be conducted that connect people with knowledge, not fear. There is also a need to promote a scientific outlook and reasoning in schools and colleges so that the next generation does not fall into the trap of superstition.
The antics of ghosts and spirits are actually a grand drama that exploits people's emotions and weaknesses. It is neither religion, nor culture, nor spirituality. It is simply a business of fear. Indian society needs reason, not fear; confidence, not superstition. Only when we embrace logic, science, and reason will we be able to free ourselves from these charlatans.
The time has come to revive the tradition of our sages and saints, which teaches us to fight ignorance with knowledge, not with more ignorance. Stopping this grand drama being played out in the name of ghosts and spirits is not just the responsibility of the government or the media, but a collective responsibility of all of us. Only aware citizens can lead society out of the darkness of this superstition.