It truly is unfortunate that in an age of science, large parts of India are still bound by blind faith and superstition, said Gopal Gowda, former Supreme Court judge at a programme to mark on Monday.
In numerous programmes across the State and the country, August 20 was observed as ‘National Scientific Temper Day’ to commemorate the day when rationalist Narendra Dabholkar was shot dead for his anti-superstition campaign in 2013.
At a programme organised by the Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti, Mr. Gowda said awareness of anti-superstition and promotion of scientific temper is the need of the hour. “In government offices, Supreme Court halls, assemblies and parliaments, superstitions and blind faith is being followed...these are acts against the Constitution, which enshrines the need for scientific temper,” he said.
The death of Mr. Dabholkar shocked the fraternity while at least three other rationalists and writers — M.M. Kalburgi, Govind Pansare and Gauri Lankesh — were killed in the subsequent years for their ideas.
“They were killed for asking questions. This is a way of shutting those who revel in the ignorance of people. This day and the awareness around it is to encourage people to continue asking questions,” said Kannada writer Chandrashekhar Patil, popularly known as Champa.
Meanwhile, students of National College took out a short rally to raise awareness of the day. At the programme organised by Breakthrough Science Society (BSS), an all-India science organisation, Rajya Sabha member L. Hanumantaiah said people who have become critical of unscientific ideas are being killed.
A series of events are being planned between Monday and August 30, which marks the death anniversary of Mr. Kalburgi who was shot dead in Dharwad in 2015.
