"A Day for Scientific Temper — August 20"
Every year on August 20th, our country observes "National Scientific Temper Day." We observe it in memory of the rationalist Dr. Narendra Dabholkar, who was unjustly murdered by orthodox traditionalists on August 20, 2013. Dr. Narendra Achyut Dabholkar was not merely a physician — he was also a writer and a social activist!
A towering figure firmly committed to spreading a scientific outlook in society, he founded the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (Committee for the Eradication of Blind Faith) in 1989 and worked tirelessly ever since. Those who disliked his efforts to eliminate blind beliefs from society and to move among the people awakening their consciousness had him eliminated, according to a plan, during his morning walk. He had, for a long time, been insisting that a law be brought in against blind superstition, and had been building pressure on the government to that effect. This did not sit well with certain political parties. The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena strongly opposed his demand, believing it would damage their culture and traditions. What kind of scientific understanding can one expect from those who, in the name of culture and tradition, seek to keep past ignorance and folly alive? We often wish others had a little more knowledge — but what can be done when they lack even basic common sense? And who could possibly welcome such deep-rooted foolishness acting against the very Constitution?
Doesn't Article 51A(h) of the Constitution state that it is the duty of every Indian citizen to develop scientific temper and uphold humane values? Any science activist simply acts in accordance with that duty. Then what is the meaning of murdering someone so brutally for it? From 2013 to this very day, successive governments have failed to trace Dabholkar's killers. What does that tell us? Even the least perceptive person can understand that the culprits carried out this act only with the backing and protection of those in power! What's more, after Dabholkar's death, the very Anti-Superstition and Black Magic Ordinance he had fought for was finally passed by the Maharashtra cabinet on December 18, 2013, with 29 amendments. But for it to become law, it needed Parliament's approval. Before his death, on August 6, 2013, Dr. Narendra Dabholkar had publicly expressed his frustration to the media, saying that hard times had come for people with progressive views, that the ministers in power were not acting properly, and that this was why the anti-superstition bill was not even being debated in the Assembly. Just a few days later, he was murdered. The very next day after the murder, the Maharashtra cabinet met and gave its approval to the ordinance. And that is where it has remained, exactly as it was, ever since.
After Dr. Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, Professor M.M. Kalburgi, and journalist Gauri Lankesh were murdered one after another. What does this mean? Does it mean that those who threaten and intimidate get to rule by killing anyone who dares to oppose them? Even after so many murders, freedom of expression continues to be brutally murdered in this country. So what should ordinary people do? They must become more courageous. They must begin thinking more rationally. Whoever commits acts against the Constitution must be called out, without exception. Because it must always be remembered that the strength of the people is, in the end, greater than the strength of those in power. Under no circumstances should this modern society be allowed to slide back into the Stone Age.
Dabholkar, who served the public as a doctor for twelve years, turned his attention toward social service in 1980. As an affiliate of the Akhil Bharatiya Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (ABANS), he organized and shaped the activities of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS). He exposed fraudulent godmen who declared themselves divine. He founded a service organization called "Parivartan" in Satara district. He served as editor of the Marathi weekly "Sadhana." He also served as vice-president of the Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations. Between 1990 and 2010, he worked alongside caste-eradication organizations to fight discrimination against Dalits. He always stood on the side of those denied social justice. As part of his campaign to eliminate blind beliefs, he immersed himself among the people and delivered more than three thousand lectures. His lectures breathed new life into his audiences. Some of his lectures are available on YouTube for those who wish to listen.
Instead of honoring his selfless service, they simply made the man disappear. In Pune, his home town, while he was out on his morning walk, two assailants arrived on a motorcycle and opened fire. One bullet struck his head, another his chest, and he died on the spot. The assailants calmly took the motorcycle they had parked nearby and fled. Some footage was captured on CC cameras. When police reached the scene after the murder, they found an identity card in Dabholkar's pocket, which allowed them to identify him immediately. And yet our government — capable of acquiring powerful weapons formidable enough to intimidate neighbouring countries — has, even after all these years, been unable to catch the two assailants responsible for a single murder! What does that tell us? Is it a signal that free thought in this country will go on being murdered in broad daylight, just like this?
Born in Pune on November 1, 1945, Narendra Dabholkar was an accomplished kabaddi player during his student days, and captained the Indian kabaddi team in a match against Bangladesh. He earned his MBBS degree from the Government Medical College in Miraj and went on to provide medical care to the poor. As a rationalist, he lived an extremely simple life. He conducted even his own children's weddings without auspicious timings (muhurtams) or traditional rituals. By never observing muhurtams for any occasion or any matter, he stood as a role model for countless people. After his death, the Government of India conferred upon him the Padma Shri. Whatever benefit the government may have gained from bestowing that award, Narendra Dabholkar himself gained nothing from it — because he had, long before that, already earned a place in people's hearts a thousand times greater than any award could confer. His sacrifice was not in vain. He had already received threats as early as 1983, and had faced minor attacks. Many friends and admirers urged him to seek police protection, but he refused to accept the suggestion. In fact, he asked, "Why would I need security among my own people?" Such was his faith in the people around him. He declared, "After all, I am not taking anyone's side unfairly. I am acting within the bounds of the Constitution, working to help the whole of society move forward on the path of progress. No one should have any objection to that."
After Dabholkar's murder, forty science organizations working actively across various parts of the country came together under the All India People's Science Network (AIPSN). They decided to observe August 20th every year as "National Scientific Temper Day" in his memory. That is why, for the past five years, this day has been observed across the country. This day is an occasion to reflect on how we can all work together, and how we can break through the frozen superstition still lodged in people's minds. We observe this day to prepare future plans and programmes, and above all, to remember the sacrifices of the martyrs who gave their lives for freedom of thought and for the eradication of blind superstition. Days like this are necessary to bring about a healthy change in people's thinking and to put an end to blind beliefs. Their importance must be explained clearly to the public. We must stop people from chasing after superstitions in the name of custom, and teach them instead to live centering human beings and humane values.
In a sense, we ought to also remember India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, on this day — because he was the one who first used the term "scientific temper"! In his book "The Discovery of India," he explained what "scientific temper" means. He described scientific temper as the ability to refrain from believing anything that cannot withstand scrutiny or that remains unproven. He made it clear that scientific temper is not about holding onto shallow philosophizing or spun tales from the past, but about understanding cause-and-effect relationships. In a sense, this term and this idea both belong to India itself — Pandit Nehru likely modernized and defined it by drawing on the essence of the Charvaka and Buddhist philosophies that arose in this land. But the current government does not care for Nehru. It does not understand what he meant by scientific temper. It does not even release the funds that ought to be disbursed every year to the scientific institutions he established across the country. At a time like this, what should the 136 crore people of this country do? Should they simply sit back and fold their hands? Or should they hand power to those who possess scientific temper?
Author: Renowned litterateur and biologist — Dr. Devaraju Maharaju
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