‘Rationalists’ bemoan excessive focus on religion, superstition, call for ‘analytical thinking’

Hassan: “Understanding events around us with sensitivity and attention helps inculcate a scientific attitude in a person,” H.S. Niranjanaradhya, Principal of Pushpagiri PU College in Tumkur, has said.

Speaking while inaugurating the ninth district conference of science activists organized by the Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti (BGVS) at Mahatma Gandhi Bhavan in the city on Sunday, he said that science was not just the study of chemistry, physics and biology. “It is studying the problems around us with the basic elements.”

“It is impossible to imagine what the world would have been like without science. People who build shrines in the name of deadly diseases like Corona, plague, smallpox and cholera and worship them daily do not think about why those gods could not cure the diseases. We are among those who believe that if you ring a bell or drink cow urine, Corona will go away,” he lamented.  

He alleged that the Mahakumbh Mela being held at Prayagraj had become a propaganda tool for many self-serving forces.

“They are misleading the people by spending Rs 40,000 crore on lavish tents and other facilities with the promise that bathing in the Ganga will bring in good fortune. Prime Minister Modi is also being criticized indirectly for going all out to achieve political goals in the name of the Ganges,” he said.

“In recent years, meaningless rituals and beliefs have been on the rise. In the last decade, the number of monks, swamis and sanyasis has increased. Big religious centres have sprung up in every taluk. People who should have thought scientifically are now being cheated in the name of God,” Professor Niranjanaradhya said.

“If you do not think scientifically about any issue, you cannot go on the right path. Excessive use of the Internet is also affecting the minds of children. The concentration level of children today is limited to only six minutes. Earlier, the concentration level was between 40 and 50 minutes.  The main reason for this is excessive mobile use,” he lamented.

He also felt worried that the world would change completely in the next 15 years. “Technology like AI and chat GPT have grown to the point of surpassing humans. A situation has arisen where even doctors’ work is being done by machines, and despite all this technology, humans are still stuck in superstitions. The public must wake up,” he added.

Science writer K.S. Ravikumar’s book Do we need climate change these days?, which was released by obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr. A. Savitri, was discussed during the event where she said it was important to remove the ignorance in people’s minds, especially girls, who were more into superstitious practices.

She felt that scientific awareness needed to increase and that everyone needed to think about global warming, the problem of excessive rainfall and drought, which was more pressing that matters of faith and belief.

A symposium on such natural calamities was held as part of the programme.

Teacher monthly Editor Uday Gaonkar, Lecturer Rohit Agasarahalli, writer Roop Hassan, BGVS District President H.T. Gururaju, Ahmed Hagare and others were present.