Organisations plan campaigns to inculcate scientific temper in society in the wake of the Elanthoor incident
Organisations plan campaigns to inculcate scientific temper in society in the wake of the Elanthoor incident
Vasanthi has allegedly performed black magic and sorcery in Malayalapuzha town for many years. Although there have been feeble voices of protests against her black magic practices, especially on children, her trade did not face any challenges until this week, when a video clip emerged of a child falling unconscious during sorcery in her ashram. The groundswell of voices against superstitious practices across social media following the alleged ritualistic human sacrifice in Elanthoor led to the clip going viral, fuelling local protests and the 41-year-old woman getting arrested.
On Saturday, Balan, another sorcerer, was arrested in Konni following complaints that he had defrauded several women of their money after promising them relief for their illnesses. A group of Kudumbashree workers in the neighbourhood were instrumental in him getting arrested. On Sunday, the police conducted checks at a private property at Thankamani in Idukki following complaints of ritualistic animal sacrifice, but they are yet to file a case. They anticipate a flurry of complaints, at least a few out of personal grudge. Hence, the police would proceed cautiously and press charges only in financial exploitation or physical torture cases.
The incident at Elanthoor also seems to have led to increased vigilance among the public regarding black magic practices in their neighbourhoods. Local units of political parties and youth organisations have been quick to launch protests at some suspected localities. Several organisations, including rationalist groups, are poised to launch grassroots-level awareness campaigns to promote scientific temper to insulate society from falling prey to fraudsters who palm off cheap trinkets as costly talismans to the section of people who are easily influenced and exploitable.
The Kerala Sasthra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP), a people’s science movement active in Kerala for nearly 60 years, has already launched ground-level protests and awareness campaigns.
“We had earlier decided to launch a wide-ranging campaign, in which inculcating scientific temper was one of the major aims. Awareness sessions will be organised in schools and for the general public. On October 20, we will organise a protest in front of the Secretariat to push for the passing of the Kerala Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices, Sorcery and Black Magic Bill 2019, pending for years. The KSSP will also organise a padayatra from one end of the State to the other, beginning on Republic Day next year and concluding on February 28, the National Science Day,” says B.Ramesh, president of KSSP.
The chatter in social media has also been directed at media outlets which provide extensive slots daily for advertisements of magical trinkets, including talismans, rings, stones and conch shells. The customers for such magical solutions are inevitably those seeking a way out of financial or personal distress. Few run astrology columns. The latest round of conversations on the need for teaching scientific temper in society at all levels is reminiscent of the movements that happened in the State after the arrest in 2008 of Santosh Madhavan, a self-styled godman accused of cheating and rape. Following his arrest, quite a few other self-styled spiritual gurus and so-called soothsayers had come under investigation.
