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WAGHOLI: Eminent
scientist Dr.Jayant Narlikar said on Friday that science
journalism and investigative techniques like sting operations
should be used to expose the religious leaders and fake godmen who perform
‘miracles’ to mislead the common man.
Pointing
at Feng Shui and Vastushastra, Narlikar strongly criticised the
urban educated class. and politicians for believing and promoting such
unscientific techniques. Narlikar
was speaking at the sixth national conference of Federation of
Indian Rationalists Association (FlRA), which was attended by farmers’
leader ND Patil, FlRA founder B Premanand and other rationalists. The
Padmavibhushan award winner criticised people’s belief in horoscope,
miracles performed by babas and sadhus, the incidents of Ganesh
idols drinking, milk and the proposals to set up astrology departments
at various universities.
“A large
section of urban educated people believe in fake godmen and their ‘so-called
miracles’. If these Babas and sadhus are to be exposed, we must use
science journalism and investigative journalism. A team comprising a
scientist, a journalist and a magician can jointly expose the
fake miracles of any godman,” he said.
Expressing
his dissatisfaction over the increasing number of people looking for
horoscopes and ‘Janma kundalis’ for arranging marriages, Narilkar
said,“During my generation the horoscope matching was not that important
and a very few number of people used to match janma kundalis. Unfortunately,
despite a huge growth in literacy, more and more people are particular about matching horoscopes
for marriages.”
Incidents
like Ganesh idols drinking milk or concepts like Bermuda Triangle are
still popularly read and believed by educated persons, he pointed out.
“Anti-superstition activists should concentrate on educating children
over these issues. Let the adults believe in whatever they want to.
We must focus on school children and make them understand the truth,”
he said.
The attempts
made by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to legitimise astrology
as a science are unfortunate, said Narlikar. “The concept of a horoscope
originated in the Greek civilisation and the UGC is labeling it
as Vedic astrology. The four Vedas do not have any mention of horoscopes
and some people are trying to impose astrology through formal education,” he
said.
ND Patil criticised
the government of Maharashtra for not passing the Maharashtra Eradication
of Black Magic, Evil and Aghori Practices Bill, 2005, “A state like
Maharashtra, which is considered to be progressive, is delaying the
approval of the Bill against superstitions. The politicians on one hand
praise leaders like Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Mahatma Phule and on the
other, keep opposing a progressiveBill like this” , he said
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