Bhagwan bats for Anti-superstition Bill

Writer K S Bhagwan observed that Anti-superstition Bill should have been brought into effect soon after it was introduced to control the influence of superstitions on the society.

Delivering a talk on the bill at a programme organised by Karnataka Kaavalu Pade on Wednesday, Bhagwan said, “The effects of superstition is felt in recent days with the killing of scholar M M Kalburgi (in the State) and also in Maharashtra where (rationalists) Narendra Dabolkar and Govind Pansare were killed for airing their views against age-old practices and beliefs among the people”. It is not an easy task to weed out deeply ingrained beliefs among the people. It pervades everywhere and emanates from fear among the people that stands as the basis of any country and religion. It is also the weapon of religious heads, irrespective of community, who extort from the people, he observed.

Recalling a clarion call given by Swami Vivekananda to ‘pull down all the places of religious interests’ 120 years ago, Bhagwan said all politicians should read and understand the thinkings of Vivekananda, socialist Rammanohar Lohia and also B R Ambedkar.

Bhagwan said unfortunately people still see Ambedkar on caste lines, ignoring the enormous knowledge he had gathered in his lifetime. So also Buddha, who was the most practical thinker and found the diversified society strange, he added.

Without taking the name of Jnanpith laureate Girish Karnad, who courted controversy after demanding to rename Kempegowda International Airport after Tipu Sultan, Bhagwan said lack of knowledge on history leads to such blunders.

Disputing Karnad’s stand that Tipu was a freedom fighter, unlike Kempegowda, Bhagwan said, “In fact, both died much before the struggle for freedom was launched in the country”.

While Kempegowda (1516-1571) lived during the 16th century, Tipu (1750-1799) lived in 18th century, much before the first struggle for independence began in 1857,  Bhagwan said.

Earlier, writer H L Keshavamurthy from Mandya, a recipient of Karnataka Rajyotsava award was felicitated.