Published on NewsClick
(http://newsclick.in August 23, 2013
Death of a Rationalist Crusader
Amit Sengupta
The murder of Narendra Dabholkar is emblematic of the deep fear of knowledge and its
democratization.
THE disturbing murder of Dr Narendra Dabholkar, rationalist campaigner, political
activist, and social reformer, is a cause for concern at many levels. It is yet another
example of the extent of intolerance that our society appears to revel in. It is emblematic
of the deep-seated fear of knowledge and its democratisation. Most importantly, perhaps,
it is a reminder that power relations in our society are mediated by institutions and
individuals who have a stake in maintaining the status quo and in denying access to
knowledge that can challenge prevailing belief systems.
Campaign Against Superstitions
A doctor by training, he helped found the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti
(MANS) in 1989 and served as its executive president till his death. At the time of his
death it had 180 branches in Maharashtra. The MANS was formed to pursue the
following objectives:
 cultivate scientific attitude, skepticism, humanism and critical thinking among the
people;
 oppose harmful superstitions, which exploit people;
 cultivate rationalistic moral values, humanism and create a just society;
 encourage constructive analysis of religious traditions and customs;
 agitate against harmful superstitions and rituals and suggest useful alternatives to
some;
 help and work with other social reform organisations.
Newsclick on eSS, Sengupta, Dabholkar
August 23, 2013
The MANS has been actively involved in exposing false claims made by ‘godmen’ of
various shades. MANS regularly performs public demonstrations that debunk ‘miracles’
and exposes the trickery behind these. MANS activists use a mobile laboratory, Vidnyan
Bodh Vahini, to demonstrate scientific experiments and to train students. MANS also
campaigns against other irrational claims and ‘systems’ such as ‘vastushastra’,
reincarnation’, ‘witchcraft’, etc.
Along with renowned astrophysicist Dr Jayant Narlikar, Dr Dabholkar challenged
astrologers to prove the veracity of their predictions – a challenge that was never taken
up. His organisation also campaigned for discontinuation of the study of Astrology in
higher education, introduced by the UGC. It may be recalled that the UGC issued a
circular on 23 February 2001 with a proposal to all the universities of the country to
introduce UG and PG courses as well as doctoral researches in Vedic Astrology, which it
later renamed in parenthesis as Jyotirvigyan. The move came about when the BJP-led
NDA government was in power.
Social Reformer and Political Activist
Dr Dabholkar combined his crusade for rationality with a strong message of social
reform. He actively opposed the inhuman custom of exploiting women in the name of
“witchcraft’ that prevails in the tribal districts of Maharashtra. Known as ‘Dakin Pratha’,
women suspected of witchcraft are attacked and even killed. Most accused 'witches' are
widows or destitute women. Recently Dr Dabholkar had also taken up cudgels against the
parallel judiciary of Jat Panchayats in the state. He actively took a position against the
support offered by these to kill youngsters marrying outside their caste, and the boycott
of those alleged to have breached the code of conduct set by these panchayats.
Dr Dabholkar was also a leading political activist of the Socialist stream in Maharshtra,
and was associated with the Rashtra Seva Dal. He was the editor of the Marathi weekly
Sadhana for 16 years, till his death. Sadhana is an important Marathi weekly
establishedby Pandurang Sadashiv Sane (Sane Guruji), a leader of the Rashtra Seva Dal,
in 1948. The weekly was one of the publications banned during the Emergency in 1976,
under the infamous Defence of India rules.
Dr Dabholkar, thus, was no mere armchair rationalist. He had the courage of conviction
to fearlessly propagate his beliefs and to actively campaign for a change in the status quo.
He was a political activist and a rationalist. There lay the danger that his beliefs
constituted, to those who wanted people to unquestioningly accept their station in life.
Method of Science as a Tool for Emancipation
His interest lay in not just propagating science per se but in promoting the method of
science. Science today is often reduced to a set of facts, axioms and explanations, thereby
stripping it of its essential core. The foundation of science is located in its method, in its
endeavour to question everything that demands an explanation. This pursuit of Dr
Dabholkar led him to question practices in society, not because they were linked to any
particular faith or religion, but because these practices perpetuated inequity.
The ‘anti-superstition’ Bill that Dr Dabholkar was engaged in championing gives us a
glimpse of the kind of practices that he opposed. A major portion of practices covered by
the Bill relate to false claims of cures for different diseases. The Bill also sought to disbar
Newsclick on eSS, Sengupta, Dabholkar
August 23, 2013
claims regarding the ability to predict or alter the future, under the guise of astrology or
other such belief systems. Millions today are prey to such claims. Their irrational belief
in such claims stem from the larger conditions in society that make people vulnerable and
uncertain about their future. If people have the option to make rational choices they
usually do so. But in conditions where a vast majority of people are denied access to a
functioning and affordable health care system, they turn to whatever provides hope. A
majority of the people in the country face an uncertain future, brought about by the
present path of development, that increases inequity and constantly pauperizes those that
are already at the margins of society. Again, for people caught in the mire of destitution
and uncertainty, a recourse to rituals that claim will change the future, are in fact the cry
of the oppressed for a better future.
As Marx wrote: “Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real
suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed
creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the
opium of the people. The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is
the demand for their real happiness. 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”.
Dr Dabholkar’s death is thus also a reminder that social conditions give rise to
irrationality and those who perpetuate existing inequities will go to any lengths to
preserve their dominance.
Dr Dabholkar and his organisation did not target any particular religion though he
himself was an avowed atheist. However, he earned the ire of the Hindu Right, especially
after he helped draft and was involved in the championing of the Bill in Maharashtra to
stop the promotion of superstitions. They spared no efforts to target him -- the Hindu
Janajagruti Samiti for example claims on its website that “Dabholkar is trying to get the
proposed anti- superstitions Act passed, that will impose restrictions on abiding by
Dharma, by misleading people and government” (sic).
Knowledge is Power
Knowledge is power and denial of knowledge is another way of perpetuating the present
imbalances in power relations in society. The death of a crusader wouldn’t be in vain if
the promotion of rationality is integrated with the movement to challenge the
fundamental unjust nature of society today, plagued by divisions based on class, caste,
gender, etc. Such divisions are as irrational as the irrational belief systems they engender.
Science and rationality are powerful tools that can break the chain of coercion that is
inherent in our system. For the method of science teaches us to question everything, to
seek the truth, to never believe that we are privy to the ultimate truth. Dr Narendra
Dabholkar is no more but we can hope that his story will inspire a new generation who
believe in the power of science, rationality and truth to change the way we live and the
way we think.
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are the author's personal views, and do not necessarily represent the
views of Newsclick.
Newsclick on eSS, Sengupta, Dabholkar
August 23, 2013