CHANAKYA NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY

THE FINAL DRAFT FOR THE FULFILMENT OF PROJECT OF SOCIOLOGY

ON
“CULT FIGURES AND THEIR IMPACTS”

Submitted to: Dr. Sangeet Kumar Submitted By: Vibhuti Sharma

Faculty of Sociology Roll No.: 1772
1st Semester B.A. L.L.B. (Hons.)
Table of Contents
Declaration .............................................................................................................................................. 4

Research Methodology ............................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

Aims & Objectives ............................................................................................................................... 5

Hypothesis........................................................................................................................................... 5
Research questions ............................................................................................................................. 5
Scope And Limitation .......................................................................................................................... 5
Method of research ............................................................................................................................ 6
Sources Of Data................................................................................................................................... 6
Methods Of Data Collection................................................................................................................ 6
Tools Of Data Collection ..................................................................................................................... 6
Sampling Technique ............................................................................................................................ 6
Pilot Survey ......................................................................................................................................... 7
CHAPTERISATION ................................................................................................................................ 7
CHAPTER 1: Introduction .................................................................................................................... 7
CHAPTER 2: Historical background of cult figures..............................................................................8
CHAPTER 3: Rise of the cult figures....................................................................................................9

CHAPTER 4: Psychological aspects of society...................................................................................12

CHAPTER 5: Religion and Cult...........................................................................................................15

Field Work……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………17

Bibliography .......................................................................................................................................... 20
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

WRITING A PROJECT IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT ACADEMIC CHALLENGES I HAVE EVER
FACED. THOUGH THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN PRESENTED BY ME BUT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO

REMAINED IN VEIL, WHO GAVE THEIR SUPPORT AND HELPED ME TO COMPLETE THIS PROJECT .
First of all I am very grateful to my subject teacher Dr. Sangeet Kumar without the kind support of
whom and help the completion of the project would have been a herculean task for me. He took out
time from his busy schedule to help me to complete this project and suggested me from where and
how to collect data.

I acknowledge my family and friends who gave their valuable and meticulous advice which was very
useful and could not be ignored in writing the project. I want to convey most sincere thanks to my
faculties for helping me throughout the project.

Thereafter, I would also like to express my gratitude towards our seniors who played a vital role in
the compilation of this research work.

I would also like to express my gratitude towards the library staff of my college which assisted me in
acquiring the sources necessary for the compilation of my project.

Last, but not the least, I would like to thank the Almighty for obvious reasons.

VIBHUTI SHARMA
 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the work reported in the BA LL.B (Hons.) Project Report entitled “Cult figures
and their impact” submitted at Chanakya National Law University, Patna is an authentic record of my
work carried out under the supervision of Dr. Sangeet Kumar. I have not submitted this work
elsewhere for any other degree or diploma. I am fully responsible for the contents of my Project
Report.

VIBHUTI SHARMA
 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

AIMS & OBJECTIVES

The researcher will do the research:-

1. The concept of cult figures.

2. Causes of the rise of the cult figures in the society.

3. To study about the factors people to follow these figures.

4. Impacts of these cult figures in the society.

5. To look at the legal aspect of this problem and study about the concerned legal provisions.

HYPOTHESIS

The researcher believes that:

1. Researcher is of the mindset that the society being in constant flux in the last two decades due to
socio economic factors, the need to rely on higher power seems to have increased among the
people.

2. It is often found that the cult figures, mislead the society and amass illegal we

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The study will seek the answers of the following research questions:

1. What are the reasons of vulnerability among people that they turn to the cults or so called ‘god
men.’?
2. What level of control and influence do they have on their followers?
3. Why do followers of cult figures become so blindly rapt in their devotion that their power of
reasoning fails them?

4. What is the role of religion in the rise of these figures?

5. What is the role of states in the rise of these figures?

SCOPE AND LIMITATION

The resources on which the researcher resorts for data & information collection is limited.

There is a time restraint which bounds the researcher

And, this research is limited to a particular area. (i.e- Religious Cults)

 METHOD OF RESEARCH

• For the purpose of research the researcher will be relying on various doctrinal and non
doctrinal methods to look for the information related to the rise of the cult figures and their impacts
on the society.
• Data for study have been collected from through questionnaires and interviews and interviews of
the general population.
• Data is gathered on a small part of the whole parent population or sampling frame.

SOURCES OF DATA

The researcher focusses on obtaining information from both the available sources; they are (1)
primary sources of data, (2) secondary sources of data.

Primary sources of data include first-hand information available, like case laws, journals, district plan
goals, etc. and secondary sources include magazines, journals, etc.

METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION

For the purpose of research work, the researcher has done doctrinal and non-doctrinal research
methods. In Doctrinal research method, the researcher has collected information through library
study, books and through surfing the web. In Non-Doctrinal research method, the researcher has
collected information by conducting interview and questionnaire schedule methods.

TOOLS OF DATA COLLECTION

The Researcher has made use of following tools of data collection: interview and questionnaire
schedule/record.

SAMPLING TECHNIQUE

The Researcher has adopted both convenient and purposive sampling method for the research work.
 PILOT SURVEY

The Researcher has conducted pilot survey before going to the field work. In conducting pilot survey,
the researcher has asked research questions from the respondents and only after getting the
approval of the respondents, the researcher went on to do the field work.

CHAPTERISATION

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

The term cult usually refers to a social group defined by its religious, spiritual, or philosophical
beliefs, or its common interest in a particular personality, object or goal. The term itself is
controversial and it has divergent definitions in both popular culture and academia and it also has
been an ongoing source of contention among scholars across several fields of study.1 In the
sociological classifications of religious movements, a cult is a social group with socially deviant or
novel beliefs and practices, although this is often unclear. Other researchers present a less-organized
picture of cults on the basis that cults arise spontaneously around novel beliefs and practices. The
word "cult" has always been controversial because it is (in a pejorative sense) considered a
subjective term, used as an ad hominem attack against groups with differing doctrines or practices.
Groups said to be cults range in size from local groups with a few members to international
organizations with millions.2
Several reasons that people join cults are that they are seeking God, looking for eternal life, avoiding
hell, or just to fit in. They usually do so during epidemics, wars, financial ruin, the end of a
relationship, or the failure to achieve a goal. Cults have been a controversial subject for centuries.
Critics argue that cults are dangerous and should be stopped while Christian leaders claim that cult
members are putting their souls in danger by refusing to embrace Christianity. While many think
that cults are very hazardous organizations, clan members themselves declare that they are
harmless.
Once a cult leader and its members have targeted a person or group of people the targets are
disempowered such that they often become dependent on the leader to allow them to get through
each “day without their life being made hell”

Once someone has been recruited into a cult the leader often begins to deteriorate the way the
person thinks and acts. Leaders often end up controlling the way the members think and control
their emotions and feelings by manipulating their thought process.
The cult groups often exploit members psychologically and/or financially, typically by making
members comply with leadership’s demands through certain types of psychological manipulation,
popularly called mind control, and through the inculcation of deep-seated anxious dependency on
the group and its leaders. To consider a social group as a cult, it must meet certain criteria.
According to Robert Jay Lifton a professor of Psychiatry at Harvard University, there are three

1
Richardson, James T. (1993). "Definitions of Cult: From Sociological-Technical to Popular-Negative". Review of
Religious Research. Religious Research Association, Inc. 34 (4): 348–56. JSTOR 3511972. doi:10.2307/3511972
2
culture – Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 7 October, 2017.
criterions a group must possess to be considered a cult. First, the leader of the cult is worshipped
and is more important than the beliefs. Thought reform must take place usually by confessions from
group members and criticism of members by the leader. The third criterion is that there must be
heavy exploitation of group members by the leader or other members in authoritative positions.
Exploitation most commonly is of a sexual or economic nature.
 CHAPTER 2: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF CULT FIGURES

Our historical background has immense importance to God and its avatar or rebirth where The
Gurus guide people to find the God. We have a history of great epics like the Mahabharata and the
Ramayana. This results in an atmosphere that God is there. The question is always a mystery and we
don’t have the answer.

Undeniably, Hindu scriptures soften the mind and make it more prone to magic. The Vedas, for
example, go on and on about how the gods must be pleased with libations and lavish praise, to win
wars, beget sons, and acquire immeasurable wealth. While other religions frighten devotees with
religious wrath, Hindu texts instead take the route of pleasing their gods who are always open to
persuasion. Neither Shiva nor Kali is nearly as vengeful as Athena, Aphrodite or Yahweh.

People started to have a mindset which believed in miracles and that God exists and the conquest
and urge also, the curiosity of being able to connect with the God started to arise in people. The
curiosity regarding heaven and hell made people inquisitive about the answers.

Also, it has a deeper influence in India because of the unique features of Hinduism. The one major
religion that does not need a communion — there is nothing that two Hindus can do which one
Hindu cannot! As a result, instead of a priest, or a Mullah, leading a community prayer in a church or
a mosque or a synagogue, we have designer gurus. Many of them are ready to be domesticated
should their patrons be rich enough. In fact, Manu warned us against “wandering ascetics”,
preferring instead the house-trained ones. Leave aside the lesser texts, gurus of this sort abound in
both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

The caste system was another major factor. Only Brahmins had the access to the holy scriptures and
the Vedas and the lower sections of the society had nothing but inquisitiveness in their minds as of
what is the concept of God and Salvation. The rise of these cults began when they hit on the specific
crowd and attracted many followers from the lower caste by acting as a mediocre between them
and God.
CHAPTER 3: CAUSES OF RISE OF THE CULT FIGURES

These days, cult figures or the so called God men, seem to be in news for all the wrong reasons.
From financial fraud to rape and even outright murder, their self-appointed leaders seem to be
grabbing national attention on a fairly regular basis.
The script is super predictable. From time to time, one of these self-styled gurus, that we may have
never heard of, but who has lakhs of crazy fans is charged with a crime. The guru maintains his
innocence despite compelling evidence, his followers allege conspiracy and sometimes even take up
arms against the state. The guru may eventually even go to prison, but his followers refuse to stop
believing in him.

A saga of this sort unfolded in 2014 when the country witnessed a standoff between the police and
an ‘army’ of devout followers outside Sant Rampal’s ashram in Haryana. Rampal was wanted in a
murder case and was trying to evade appearance in the court and custody.

We witnessed a repetition of similar events when controversial Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim
Singh was held guilty of raping and sexually exploiting two female disciples by a CBI special court in
Panchkula. What followed was arson and violence by the guru’s supporters, a violence that has
claimed at least 32 people and injured more than 350 people so far.

Who are these people? And what is forcing them to fanatically follow these godmen, when common
sense and logic should command them to do the exact opposite? More importantly, why do so many
people believe in these dubious men and women to the extent that they are even willing to die for
them?

The more prudent question to ask is not why so many Indians believe in these men, but why lakhs of
people of this country feel the need to believe in them.

Mankind’s propensity to believe in a God or higher power is well known. According to evolutionary
psychologists, this propensity can be linked to the unique ability of human beings to attribute design
or reason to things, even where there may be none. This capacity to reason and to create elaborate,
compelling stories gave early humans a great edge over other creatures, allowing them to co-
operate in large number with other strangers to fulfil causes larger than themselves – to win wars,
build communities, and establish nations.3

Several reasons that people join cults are that they are seeking God, looking for eternal life, avoiding
hell, or just to fit in. They usually do so during epidemics, wars, financial ruin, the end of a
relationship, or the failure to achieve a goal. Cults have been a controversial subject for centuries.
Critics argue that cults are dangerous and should be stopped while Christian leaders claim that cult
members are putting their souls in danger by refusing to embrace Christianity. While many think
that cults are very hazardous organizations, clan members themselves declare that they are
harmless. They also say that they are being denied their constitutional right in not being able to
worship as they please.4

Looking for meaning and purpose, people fall prey to the tricks-of-trade employed by wily
Godmen and Godwomen. Each time a fake Godman stands exposed, one is left wondering at

3
Dolan, Sean. Everything You Need to Know About Cults. New York: Rosen Pub. Group, 2000.
4
Streissguth, Thomas. Charismatic Cult Leaders. Minneapolis: The Oliver Press, Incorporated, 1995.
the blind faith of followers who failed to look beyond the mask of someone who was a
conman at best, and a crook, murderer and rapist at worst!

What attracts people to these peddlers of faith? Why the desperate need to believe that
anyone has a quicker channel to God than you do? Those frantically looking for a peg to hang
their faith on, are actually more the victims of their own need than of the wiles of conmen. If
you have a strong belief in your own self and faith in your thoughts, values and actions, you
become impervious to the perceived power of another. You then do not need another.

However, we all have a deep, innate need to belong to someone or something. We also need
to matter. We want our lives to have a meaning and purpose. Nobody dreams of being one
amongst millions; we all wish to have a unique identity and to know that our existence
matters.

It is this desperate need for anchors that is exploited by fake Babas and Matas. India being
home to the world’s largest population of illiterates and a sizable population below the
poverty line doesn’t help either. Being part of a cult or ‘Dera’gives a false sense of meaning
and purpose to people who have no other hope. Attaching yourself to a cult gives you an
identity of sorts. The half-baked gyan spouted by the Babas helps to keep your hopes going,
with a promise of heaven, always in the future.

With society being in constant flux in the last two decades due to socio-economic factors, the need
to rely on a higher power seems to have also increased. In a country of a million gods and thousand
identities, the changing landscape has had huge cultural and psychological implications. Rootless
individuals seeking to make sense of their world may drift to alcohol, drugs or psychiatrists to find
answers. In India, most seem to have drifted to the godmen.

It’s not difficult to understand why. India has had a long history of gurus or spiritual guides – the
learned master who helped people attain higher knowledge. In recent times, the tradition seems to
have metamorphosed into an industry, with godmen exploiting weaknesses of existing institutions
like family, religion and society to their advantage, and offering instantaneous miracles and quick fix
solutions to cure the dissonance caused by modern life.

The changing socio-economic structure has only widened this chasm further, adding to people’s
stresses and anxieties, making them more vulnerable to the antics of the dubious godmen. Today,
the godman isn’t just the miracle maker, he is also the agony pundit, the family consultant, the
psychologist and the spiritual guide. He offers answers, solutions, happiness, an easy path to follow
in an otherwise cruel and difficult world. He is the anchor that roots the individual to a cause, to a
community of fellow devotees. Over time, he becomes the devotee’s moral compass.
But it isn’t just the poor and the illiterate who are hoodwinked by imposter Babas. What about their
rich followers who are the financial backbone of these vice dens? These people who have everything
materially, lack happiness and hope. Kings and queens of a hollow world devoid of substance and
happiness, they seek the elusive in the aura of these conmen. The self-proclaimed Godmen also act
as a conduit between politicians and their rich followers, using their smart networking system to
help all. In fact the deras and satsangs are great places for networking.

These men have all the qualities of good political leaders – they are great orators and good at the art
of conning. They show concern, try and help their weak followers and also indulge in social work.
They ensure a rich patronage and buffer themselves up with a good political connect. That works
well because politicians use them right back as political vote banks.

The fake Godmen have great acumen and are able to secure the affection and belief of their
followers with usual tricks of the trade. They are great at playing the collective psyche and hand out
miracles and tidbits of hope. The herd mentality of people not wishing to be left behind in the race
to God-dom helps their cause further. Superstitious beliefs and the deep need to find hope and
happiness keep people attached to them. The conmen are clever enough to understand how to
hoodwink and collectively hypnotise masses into becoming followers. Accuse the godman, and you
aren’t just accusing the baba, you are attacking the devotee’s blind and unshakeable faith in the
man.

Lacking purpose and a sense of direction, we are actively seeking someone to look up to and follow.
The many fake god men prove easy pegs to hang our insecurities onto. Our families and religion
provide a sense of meaning and purpose to most, and so does the work we do.

This cocktail of deep dissatisfaction and blind faith, however, turns truly noxious when you mix
politics in it. God men wooing gullible individuals wouldn’t be much of a problem if politicians didn’t
use them to catch or influence voters. And even though we are still to hear of a baba who managed
to convert his followers into an influential vote bank, the truth is that politicians still persist in
providing these self-styled prophets political patronage. Political patronage sometimes allows these
god men to literally run parallel states, replete with their own armies, at times! Many, in fact, start
seeing themselves as being above law, operating in their own zones, where they command
unparalleled devotion and in what can be argued, true power in the form of mass following.

This is a huge problem. India may be a religious country, but that should not give politicians reason
to mix politics with religion. We are, after all, a secular democracy. The true definition of secularism
is to keep religion out of politics. Similarly, democracy necessarily implies keeping politics out of
religion.

Here the importance of a God men plays in ones life. for the persons those who crave for spiritual
advancement requires the help of such “Gurus” . Guru work as a mediator between the devotee and
God. God men can be considered as one person who is improved in his spiritual plane, enlighten or
in the way to enlightenment. One devotee has to learn a lot from a God men in connection to
spiritual progress. He can comfort and console the mind of devotee through his wise Words . It may
be a life turning situation for many devotees. It is also a chance for several devotees to recognize
about their “samskara” gained through past incarnation. So a God men plays a vital role in a society
to bring peace and harmony.

When the two mix, things get messy. And that is why we need to constantly question this unholy
nexus. Because faithless opportunists present as big a threat to a thriving democracy as fraudulent
prophets.

CHAPTER 4: PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE SOCIETY

India is a country of more than a billion people and tens of thousands of gurus.

There are gurus for rich and poor. Many of them command huge followings at home and
overseas counting politicians, film and cricket stars, bureaucrats and ordinary people among
their devotees. The world's best known cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar is a follower of Sai Baba,
whose mystique and influence lasted long after his death in 2011.

Gurus also peddle influence as politicians run to them for advice. Proximity to a
guru legitimises a politician and adds to his power, says sociologist Shiv Visvanathan. India's
most powerful prime minister, the late Indira Gandhi, would often turn to her yoga
guru Dhirendra Brahmachari for advice.

Many of the gurus are also successful entrepreneurs and run massive business empires,
selling traditional medicines, health products, yoga classes and spiritual therapies. They run
schools, colleges and hospitals. Some of the gurus, according to Dr Vishvanathan, can make
India's best-known companies "sound like management amateurs". A guru from
Punjab, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who heads a popular religious sect, even performs at
rock concerts and acts in films. Some gurus are adept at yoga, others are better known for
their discourses, while somebody like India's most famous woman guru, Mata
Amritanandamayi, has made a name for herself by hugging people as a blessing and therapy.

The gurus also believe in what big companies call "corporate social responsibility", or
investing in communities and caring for the environment. So they supply drinking water to
parched villages, run rehab programmes for prisoners and drug addicts, organise blood
donation camps and open schools for poor children. Some of them build cricket stadiums and
promote vegetarianism.

No wonder then that devotees are manic about their gurus. Ashutosh Maharaj, a guru from
Punjab, was declared clinically dead in January this year, but his supporters have kept his
body in a deep freezer confident that they will return to life to lead his flock. Although many
are accused of sexual offences, shady property deals and even murder, they remain
immensely popular with their faithful devotees. So what accounts for India's enduring
relationship with gurus?

For one, in a fast-urbanising country bristling with ambition, frustration and confusion, gurus
are like placebos for the uncertain masses. People flock to them, thinking that they can help
give them the next big break in their lives. They look to them for miracle cures for their
severely ill family members. In Gujarat's Sabarkantha district, there is a guru who has
thousands of sick followers and promises to cure them with magic. Many of them die, but the
faith persists. Also, most Indians believe in magic, miracle and faith healing. Sociologist
Dipankar Gupta says Hinduism depends on magic more than other religions as "Hinduism
does not have a single book and communion". "If you are in a communion, you pray together,
you have other kinds of solace," he says. So many Indians depend on gurus to produce
miracles and improve their lives.

Gurus are essentially seen as magicians who promise miracles. You go to a guru hoping he
will deliver things to you. Religion, as we know it, is just a gloss and doesn't draw Indians to
gurus in the first place," says Prof. 0 Gupta. As long as belief in magic and miracle survives
and times remain uncertain, India's gurus are assured a place in the sun. The followers are
part of a cult and would be ready to follow their leaders to death. Most cults have a common
theme, a charismatic leaders, one that can persuade and alter ones train of thought. This can
be done by making people think they are in danger, forcing them into a state of fear, naturally
making them look up to someone for safety/ refuge.

Cult members are focused on a living leader to whom members seem to display excessively
zealous, unquestioning commitment. The leader is a strong-willed, domineering character
who rules the group with tight control. Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged, and
there can be pressure or social punishment when there is disagreement with the boss. Those
who disagree are made to feel as though they are stupid or inept. They are brainwashed with
the notion that they do not have the knowledge or experience to question the leader. The
leader is preoccupied with raising money. There is always a need for increasing finances.
New projects are ever in the planning. The cult leader always takes the major credit for the
movement’s accomplishments. Members become psychologically dependent upon him.
“What would we ever do without our leader? ,is the cult mentality. The cult leader generates
within his members a polarized mentality. His people evolve an us-versus-them outlook. Cult
members are seen occasionally to take on a new personality. They begin to act differently.
They become increasingly antagonistic to family members and long-time friends. They may
even boast, “I am not the old [name] that you used to know; I am a new person now.” And
indeed they are. They have become strangers to those who knew them well. They have been
transformed into the image of their leader.Giving a cult member any evidence against his/her
Babas will only push them further and be met with opposition since they would claim that
"outside forces" are "attacking" their baba. (This is from personal experience- I have had
family members slowly destroying their and their kids lives after joining a cult).
They will be ready to follow their leaders to death by even taking their own lives. Cult
suicide.

On, November of 1978, the world was shocked by the suicide deaths of 913 members of the
People's Temple cult, was the most deadly single non-natural disaster in U.S. history until
September 11, 2001.
Jim Jones, the leader of the group, convinced his followers to move to Jonestown, Guyana, a
remote community that Jones carved out of the South American jungle and named after
himself. Jones constantly feared losing control of his followers. His paranoia was the main
reason he moved the cult to Guyana.
The mass suicide occurred after U.S. Rep. Leo Ryan of California and a team of reporters
visited the compound to investigate reports of abuse. After some members tried to leave with
the congressman's group, Jim Jones had Ryan and his entourage ambushed at the nearby
airstrip. He then ordered his flock to commit suicide by drinking grape-flavored Kool-Aid
laced with potassium cyanide.5
Considering that cult-members are willing and capable of taking their own lives if it was
asked by their leader, all their other actions don't come at such big of a surprise.

5
Jones, Jim. "Transcript of Recovered FBI tape Q 134". Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples
Temple. Jonestown Project: San Diego State University.]
 CHAPTER 5: RELIGION AND CULT

Religiosity is being displaced by veneration and devotion directed towards a particular figure
or object. Ironically it is not the veneration of inanimate idols that is worrisome but
increasingly the cults around living figures that tend to pose challenges to authority.

Deras and "religious Babas" are the poor cousins of religion. They are the schoolmasters of
subaltern poor and middle class. They have emerged as messengers between the people and
God. Alexis Monteli, as early as in the 18th century, observed, “how in all spheres of social
life, the lion's share falls to the middlemen. In the economic domain, e.g., financiers, stock
exchange speculators, merchants, shopkeepers skim the cream; in civil matters, the lawyers
fleece the clients; in politics, the representative is more important than voters, and in religion,
God is pushed into background by the mediator (Godmen).”
These mediators of God liberate their devotees from vices like drugs, drunkenness, wife-
beating and efficiently deliver subsidised food and give access to health services unlike the
inefficient implementation of the government’s social security schemes. If the State’s
institutions do not deliver, it is natural for the people to repose faith in those institutions
which deliver and bring "Acchhe Din." The faith of the devotees in the deras acquires moral
superiority as compared to other institutions. The devotees’ faith sweeps them away from the
governments, political class, judiciary and even the market. This works to the advantage of
self-styled Godmen, even if convicted by the courts, their devotees consider them to be
innocent and victims of competing vested interests. The blind faith of these devotees is
traded. The devotees are traded as voters, private army, donors of labour, body organs, blood,
skills etc. It is their reservoir of power which empowers these Godmen, and makes them
acquire a larger-than-life image. The conglomerate of the devotees becomes a clan — they
marry amongst themselves (irrespective of their caste, religion or creed), appropriate social
capital to acquire jobs and multiply their businesses. Godmen act as arbitrators to facilitate
these alliances. This interdependent relationship leaves the political class with no choice but
to barter with these Godmen and their followers to garner support in elections. The appeal of
these "Babas" is a tonic which is embraced by the political leaders. All the political parties try
to outcompete each other in wooing the deras. The deras issue a diktat to induce people to
vote according to their faith rather than their conscience. The Dera Sacha Sauda exercises
influence in around 27 assembly constituencies in Punjab. The deras have made it a practice
to venture into the electoral mandi to enhance power. The devotees not only justify their
being traded in politics, but consider it empowering. In turn, these deras and religious
"Babas" are provided a shield against the rule of law to allow them to promote their
commercial enterprises and personal leisure.
These deras use the political space so acquired to get State patronage and, coupled with the
blind faith of their followers, even subvert the rule of law. Blind faith perpetuates ignorance
and garnishes it with moral arrogance — thereby making it convenient to overlook the
misdeeds of these powerful “Babas.” Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim, head of the Sirsa-based
Sacha Sauda is facing a case of rape of two sadhvis, charges of murder of a Dera follower
Ranjit Singh and journalist Ram Chander Chattarpati and castration of the followers.
Similarly, Baba Ram Pal became a bhajan singer and started his own Kabir Panthi sect. He
was charged with murder. When the court issued non-bailable warrants in 2014, his
supporters armed themselves with petrol bombs, bottles and stones to resist his arrest. He
continues to be in jail. The storm and fury of these followers is demonstrated to pressurise
even judicial pronouncements. The institutions of the State are being compromised.
Is it only the deras as a vote bank that is enticing or there is something more to it? The
importance of deras and "religious Babas" acts as an active antidote to the frustration caused
in the neoliberal economy by income stagnation, expanding inequality and rampant
unemployment in a highly competitive electoral politics. In such a situation, these “religious
Babas” emerge as traders of blind faith in a complex neoliberal economy, politics and
technologically-driven communication system. These “Babas” use the market-driven mass
culture to brainwash their followers, diverting them from real issues and struggles. The use of
electronic media, films and social media campaign fill them with false and reactionary views
about their social existence.
For instance, Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim produced and acted in films to build a larger-than-
life image of himself. He produced films like The Messenger 1, Messenger 2, The Warrior
Lion Heart, Hind Ka Napak Ko Jawab and Jattu Engineer — all hits at the Box Office.
Why do the governments appear to be diffident before these religious bigots? These deras
use their appeal to sap the protest of the poor against real sufferings. To put it in the words of
Karl Marx, "religion is…the heart of the heartless world, and the soul of the soulless
conditions… To call on them to give up their illusions about their condition is to call on
them to give up a condition that requires illusions.” The State, instead of changing these
conditions, finds it convenient to blur them and use these deras to garner support in the
elections. It is partly natural and hardly unreasonable with widespread distrust in the political
system, judicial inefficiency, and market fundamentalism. To hide behind this and justify
violations by the “Babas” is a clear case of being blinded by the "light itself". However, the
question is, to what extent the blind faith in a "religious Baba" and uncritical worship of the
so-called spiritual power supposedly possessed by them have to be allowed? How long will
the State continue to fiddle with the rule of law to flatter the "Babas" and their followers. It is
the constitutional obligation of the political class, and other institutions responsible for
promoting and protecting the rule of law to counter the unreasonable claims of these "Babas"
which have been accepted blindly by their followers and accommodated by the political class.
 FIELD WORK

INTERVIEW SCHEDULE

Personal Details
1. Name: Geeta Maheshwari
Age: 35
Educational Qualification: Nil
Occupation: House-maid

2. Name: Kiran Shahi

Age: 47
Educational Qualification: B.A Pass.
Occupation: House Wife

3. Name: Dilip Singh

Age: 28
Educational Qualification: 12th standard (Passed)
Occupation: Driver

4. Name: Varada S. Kumar

Age: 17
Educational Qualification: 12th (Pursuing)
Occupation: Student

5. Name: Rajvir Jaipuria

Age: 54
Educational Qualification: MBA
Occupation: Jeweler

QUESTIONS:
1. Does the subject believe in any figure?
2. If yes, what are the reasons or the basis of their beliefs?
3. Weather the belief of the subject in the figure has actually helped them?
4. What are their conceptions about the figures?
5. What led them to turn to these figures?

Inference from the Interview:

Researcher founded that:
Godmen has more or less been an ubiquitous figure in Indian public life. The problem is
more complex and deeper than it appears. People have their own reasoning and arguments to
believe in the figures.

The complexity and the reasons to follow the figures might be different but the one thing that
binds them into believing in them is their faith. When it comes to beliefs in these God-men,
belief plays a very crucial role. This belief is unwavering as people actually believe them to
be descendants of Gods. The fact that there is no logic behind that belief doesn't occur to
them. If everyone thinks so logically, there would be more atheists than theists. This is
particularly true about India where education and revolution of free thought hasn't penetrated
enough. So, when any evidence of their crimes is exposed, the believers would be
predisposed to negate those evidences. They tend to find evidences contrary to the ones
produced. They tend to see the positive side of the God-man and replace logic with belief and
they also use belief to argue instead of logic.

This is also true in case of political sycophancy. A leader in whom you believe will appear
pure even if there is evidence to the contrary. People brush them away as conspiracies by
rivals.
For the same reason that others worship gods who let people, innocent children
included, suffer and die. Religion is not about being rational. People just think that
despite all the sufferings that goes on around the world, they are special and that their
god would take good care of them. When it comes to these godmen, their followers feel
the same- the rest of them could be frauds, but the one they follow are touched by
divinity.

Social and economic security also makes people susceptible to the influence of babas.
People fear losing what they possess and the current cut-throat economy has increased
this fear. When people fear losing something, they become more impressionable, which
the babas take advantage of. These days, people often have to sacrifice on certain
important things to succeed, including morals. This leads to a feeling of guilt from which
the seek refuge in godmen, who, instead of dealing with the problem fives them false
assurances. People forget their insecurities and feel good for sometime. It is similar to
closing your your eyes from impeding danger and thinking that the problem has
disappeared.

A former follower of Nirma Baba claims that the holy man made millions by giving
advices as absurd as eating samosa with red chutney instead of green. Godmen utter these
recommendations with such confidence that even people start to believe that it would work.
A crowd of thousand people are attending his samagams. (meetings) And million others
watches him on TV. They know how to use media for their benefit. They use TV channels to
present their desired personal in front of the public which attracts them.

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

The impact of cult groups on society and the influence they exercise cannot and should not be
underestimated.

No doubt, there were great ascetics and kind and generous faith leaders who, at
tremendous personal cost, often gave succour to the masses in times of great distress. From
Jesus, to Muhammad, to Vivekananda and even Dayananda Saraswati, we have had such
heroes who shored up our spirits and gave us strength. The truth, however, is that when
these great souls depart, they leave behind followers who are human — all too human. As
they lack the charisma of their gurus, they reduce the substance of their teachings to
miracles and magic.
When people are in trouble or distress, they are unable to think clearly. And since people do
not really believe in the concept of joint family today, they don’t enjoy the support of their
parents and sibilings and this is leading them to look upon to some other figure which is
leading the rise of these cult figures in the present day society.
Incidentally, they recover from their problems sometimes which leads to deep devotion.
Some “billionaire babas” are so well established that their devotees do not leave them even
after their problems have been ‘solved.’ The number of followers they have is just an
achievement which they boast. They have followers from different backgrounds as opposed
to the minor god men. Whom, mostly less educated people approach. But ironically, a
section of our society, who lives in the harshest condition and have a hard time in even
getting the two time bread is farthest from these figures.

A close scrunity to these holy men who have come to personify their ideas of religion, yoga,
meditation and sometimes, even God, reveals that they work in a planned manner. Firstly,
they attract people using their ‘godliness’ and eventually make them life-long followers.
These followers further become dependent on these godmen who further use them for
their own interests.
Research shows that we feel most meaningful and satisfied when we serve and help others.
That is a reason all of us look for something beyond our daily work and often find that
satisfaction in charity. Unfortunately unless we stay alert, that is also the point at which the
con-guru is waiting for you – offering to help soak up all that angst, loneliness and need to
give and help others!
The hypothesis of the researcher in this case is hence proved right. i.e-
1. Due to socio economic factors, the need to rely on higer power seems to have increased
among people.
2. It is often that the cult figures, mislead the society and amass illegal wealth.
SUGGESTIONS

Most of the God men are continuously engaged in spiritual improvement of others and due to
certain weak links in the chain, the real meaning of their attempt can be distorted.

There are also “fake coins” in every corner of life and also there are “fake Babas” who pretend to be
enlightened and make money for their luxurious life. Devotees those who are spiritually illiterated
are mainly succumb to such fake saints. One can judge a person through his words and deeds. If a
person follow a Godmen for a considerable time,he/she can easily identify the motive behind him.
Instead of following the rituals one should have an improvement in spiritual knowledge by
associating with the Godmen. Also a devotee has to have the mental ability to detach from the
Godmen if he is not gaining anything spiritually. No blind worship of any God men up lift any one
spiritually. If a God men can answer the intriguing questions of a devotee and guide him through the
right path can only consider as real Godmen. Others drift like passing clouds in the sky of time.

It is true many followers of religion have disregarded the important religious teachings of equality
and goodwill. But, more significant message of any religion is that man is equal before God. There
are some people who possess ample knowledge to guide this world. However, they are a part of this
world. They should be questioned when you feel they are wrong, and they are liable to answer
them.

People should be self reliant and believe in their own karma instead of doing weird superstitious
practices babas ask them to. It’s good to have faith in something but faith and blind faith are two
very different things and people should be logical enough to differentiate between them. Also, their
emotions should not overpower their reasonability.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books:

1. Charismatic cult leaders

(Book by Thomas Streissguth)

2. The Cult of the Leader: A Manifesto for More Authentic Business

(Book by Christopher Bones)

3. Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape

(Book by Jenna Miscavige Hill and Lisa Pulitzer)
Web Sites
kimmagedsc.ie/SociologyDevelopment

counterview.org

www.legalservicesindia.in

Study.com

Archive.india.gov.in

sociology.colorado.edu/grad-sudent.../online-sociology-resources