Vignana Parishat to govt: Implement anti-superstition law

NT Correspondent

Mysuru

Superstition kills and who would know his better than activists of the Karnataka Rajya Vignana Parishat (KRVP) who urged the state government to fully implement the Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices and Black Magic Act, 2017.

There have been alleged attempts at black magic, sorcery, treasure hunts, ostracism, exorcism and human sacrifice from across the state which are punishable under the law.

The parishat held a three-day science conference in Mysuru and said that though the law against superstition had been passed, people are not aware of it or nor is there clarity about where and with whom to lodge complaints against those spreading superstition. The government was also asked to create a conducive environment to enable more women take up science and scientific research.

Other resolutions adopted at the conference were on protection of the fragile ecology of the Western Ghats, strict implementation of single-use plastic and engaging school students for study of lakes and for monitoring habitats.

 Establishing science laboratories in all government schools, proper training of teachers to improve standards, clearance of lake encroachments and funding of KRVP’s science conference to be held in different districts on the lines of Kannada Sahitya Sammelana, were other recommendations made by the parishat. The awards instituted in memory of rationalist, H. Narasimhaiah, one of the founders of KRVP, were presented to M.R. Nagaraj, Shreemathi Hariprasad, B.K.Chalageri and D.R.Baluragi. Dr A.S. Kiran Kumar, former chairman of ISRO, who delivered the valedictory address, said the field of science and technology was growing and teachers must help students to identify genuine beliefs from the fake for which technology is available.

Senior BJP MLC A.H. Vishwanath said science and technology helped India to become self-reliant in grain production and in even exporting it. Today, the nation has enough food to feed 1.3 billion people while the White Revolution helped in increasing milk production, he said. Over 1,000 teachers and students from across the State participated in the three-day conference