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The Sacrifice of a Skeptic BHASKAR SRIPADA but it was not put to a vote. million rupees, about $15,000) for in- “Challenges,” Maharashtra Andhashraddha Various political parties and social formation. There have been no arrests Nirmoolan Samiti, 2013. Online at http:// antisuperstition.org/index.php?option=com_ groups supported a bandh, or a strike/ at this time, but police say it will hap- content&view=article&id=93&Itemid=81. protest, in Pune, one of Maharashtra’s pen “soon.” There have been demands “Dabholkar supporters heckle politicians during Pune major cities. According to journalist to turn the case over to India’s federal protest march,” Hindustan Times, 22 August Tejas Mehta, Dabholkar’s murder “led police body, the CBI, from those blam- 2013. Online at http://www.hindustantimes.com/ India-news/Maharashtra/Dabholkar-supporters- to a massive outpouring of grief and ing the local police for the lack of prog- heckle-politicians-during-Pune-protest-march/ anger in Maharashtra,” which in turn ress. The CBI has a very good reputa- Article1-1111115.aspx. “prompted the state government to tion for not being corruptible. Burke, Jason. 2011. “Indian court orders Ganesh push an anti-superstition law that he In the meantime, Dabholkar’s sup- idols to be made of clay,” The Guardian, had championed for years.” The law porters are in mourning, vowing to keep 11 February 2011. Online at http://www. theguardian.com/world/2011/feb/11/ has been debated for years, but only his mission alive. Besides his activism ganesh-idols-clay-india-court. after his death was the law enacted. Yet as a rationalist, he served as editor of Mehta, Tejas. 2013. “After rationalist Narendra it still awaits support from the parlia- Sadhana, a weekly publication started Dabholkar’s killing, Maharashtra govt ment, which is required or the legisla- by Pandurang Sadashiv Sane, a famous clears anti-superstition ordinance,” NDTV, 21 August 2013. Online at http://www. tion will expire. crusader for independence from Britain ndtv.com/article/india/after-rationalist- Dabholkar was part of a growing but who fought against caste discrimina- narendra-dabholkar-s-killing-maharashtra- tight-knit movement that faces chal- tion. Some of Dabholkar’s articles are govt-clears-anti-superstition-ordinance- lenges in India. Dabholkar’s colleague, available on his organization’s website 408484?curl=1377134339. “Narendra Dabholkar murder: Parties call for a Sanal Edamaruku, a rationalist based in at http://antisuperstition.org, and vid- bandh in Pune,” Times of India, 21 August Delhi, fled India last year after investi- eos of his lectures are at http://www. ■ 2013. Online at http://timesofindia.india- gating a “miracle” in a church and mak- youtube.com/MaharashtraANiS. times.com/city/pune/Narendra-Dabholkar- murder-Parties-call-for-a-bandh-in-Pune/ PQ ing comments that authorities claimed References violated a law that forbids “deliberate articleshow/21951101.cms. Shivadekar, Sanjeev. 2011. “Anti-superstition and malicious acts, intended to outrage “About Us,” Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti, 2013. Online at http:// Bill to be ready in this session: Ajit,” Times religious feelings or any class by insulting antisuperstition.org/index.php?option= of India, 8 April 2011. Online at http:// its religion or religious beliefs.” Edam- com_content&view=section&layout=blog articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011- aruku, now living in Finland, remem- &id=4&Itemid=65. 04-08/mumbai/29396060_1_anti-supersti- “Anti-Superstition Legislation,” Maharashtra tion-child-sacrifice-black-magic. bered Dabholkar as “one of the most Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti, 2013. wonderful soldiers of rationalism in Online at http://antisuperstition.org/index. Ryan Shaffer is a writer and historian. He has Maharashtra because he was taking the php?option=com_content&view=arti- cle&id=97&Itemid=80. a PhD in history and is movement down to the villages on one Arun, George. 2013. “Narendra Dabholkar’s currently a postdoctoral side and the legislature on the other.” death should inspire Indians to battle supersti- fellow at the Institute for Police are investigating the murder tion,” FirstPost.com, 20 August 2013. Online at http://www.firstpost.com/india/narendra- Global Studies at Stony Brook Univer- as a “planned killing,” and the govern- dabholkars-death-should-inspire-indians- sity in New York. ment is offering a ten-lakh reward (one to-battle-superstition-1046929.html. The Sacrifice of a Skeptic BHASKAR SRIPADA n August 20, 2013, a sixty-seven- sician and worked in the medical pro- ication of Blind Faith. In the years be- year-old man was on a morn- fession for ten years when, at the age fore his assassination, he had been ac- Oing walk, near the Omkareshwar of forty, he decided to devote his life tively campaigning for the passage of an temple in Pune, in the state of to inculcating a scientific temperament ordinance to prevent “human sacrifice Maharashtra, India. Two gunmen and rational thinking in the common and black magic” in his Indian state. shot him with four bullets at point- man. His main goals were eradicating A witch, according to common In- blank range and reportedly fled on a superstitions such as belief in witches, dian superstition, is a woman with su- motorcycle. The man was Dr. Narendra uncovering black magicians who pur- pernatural powers and evil intent. Even Dabholkar, a tireless, nonviolent ratio- veyed witchcraft, and debunking so- today, and all too often, when a mis- nalist and fighter against superstition called miracles performed by the “god- fortune befalls a community, alarmed and false prophets. men” of India. To these ends, in 1989 villagers seek the guidance of a tantrik, Dr. Dabholkar was trained as a phy- he cofounded the Committee for Erad- or village witch doctor and black magic 30 Volume 38 Issue 1 | Skeptical Inquirer SPECIAL REPORT] counselor. Using his magical powers faith. Often portrayed by his enemies and Black Magic Bill.” We must hope the tantrik would claim to identify as an atheist, he repeatedly clarified that that this signifies the beginning of what the witch and then instigate a Dayan he was not against belief in god, but only Karl Popper called “demarcation”—the Pratha, or witch-hunt. against harmful superstitions and spir- process through which science is distin- Women marked as witches are sub- itual false prophets. His proposed bills guished from pseudoscience—in India. jected to humiliation, such as having to were opposed by powerful figures in the During the Middle Ages the West have their heads shaved, being forced to community who saw them as anti-Hindu was convulsed with mass hysteria re- go naked in public, etc. They are forced and anti-tradition. The practitioners of sulting in more than 40,000 women to abandon their property or leave the the ancient Indian Hindu sciences—the being burned to death as witches. Also village. And sometimes the tantrik may leagues of the palmists, astrologers, god- there was persecution and execution of even call for a woman’s killing. Such men, gurus, tantriks, and black magi- those who were decried as heretics and a killing, done by a mob, is often pre- cians—were more interested in their live- unbelievers, such as Giordano Bruno, ceded by inflicting enormous pain such lihoods than in the truth or the effects of the Copernican astronomer, and Gali- as pulling of her teeth, cutting off her their professions, and his message aroused leo Galilei, who was convicted of her- tongue, skinning her before beheading their ire. esy for publishing evidence that Earth her, or burning her. It is estimated that revolved around the sun. In Western about two hundred women per year lose civilization since then, science often their lives in witchcraft-related mur- has dominated over superstition with ders in contemporary India. A witch clear benefits for humanity. Yet, many is often a woman with some property Dr. Dabholkar’s irrational beliefs continue to survive who fights against powerful people who even in our more enlightened society. wish to expropriate it, or who refuses sacrifice in his In America today, “creation science” the sexual advances of powerful men. dangerous mission of (mandated to be taught in schools in She may be of low caste and so an easy Georgia and elsewhere) challenges target for revenge. distinguishing science Darwin’s theory of evolution, and Dr. Dabholkar also challenged the from superstition and global warming is often believed to be so-called godmen, self-described Hindu a hoax, although scientific evidence has ascetics who claim to perform miracles. pseudoscience must established beyond a reasonable doubt These miracles may include the magi- be pursued, and not that it does exist. cal production of objects, such as idols, Dr. Dabholkar’s sacrifice in his dan- lingas (phallic symbols), and talismans. only in India. gerous mission of distinguishing sci- Some godmen have followings of mil- ence from superstition and pseudosci- lions and may have estates in the bil- ence must be pursued, and not only in lions of dollars, often donated by their India. No civilized society can afford to devotees. Some of them even enjoy abandon such a zealous and informed government favors as ministers, and skeptic or force him into silence. We even scientific advisors to the Indian There can be no question that there mourn his loss. government are among their followers. were many individuals or groups who References Dabholkar contrasted such godmen felt affronted by Dr. Dabholkar’s expo- to the benevolent saints and spiritual sure of their “miracles.” As Upton Sin- Freud, Sigmund. 1927. The Future of an Illu- sion. In standard edition of The Complete leaders of the past and present who did clair said, “It is difficult to get a man Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, trans. not take advantage of their followers or to understand something when his job and ed.
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