Taking food in solar eclipse
The global trend shows that there has been a growing population of rationalists/atheists worldwide in spite of an increase in right-wing politics in recent years, which violently counters atheism. The census of 2011 in India revealed that the number of people covered under the category of “religion not stated” has increased by three times of the previous census. There has been a growing concern over increasing religious extremism backed by identity politics and conservative nationalism, which is a major cause of loss of human life, peace and progress.
Some of the most democratic and progressive countries are facing a revival of right-wing politics and conservative ideas which are being supported not just by the older generation and traditionalists but even youths. Rightwing extremist ideas are being propagated by a majority of corporates owned mainstream media, and ruling political parties in different countries influencing the ordinary masses. Some of the major causes that are pushing the globalised world to conflicts of late are religious beliefs, tribalism, narrow national identity and threat of increasing refugees and immigration. There is apprehension of loss of job of natives, economic anxiety, and fear of hegemonic socio- cultural changes.
The tribe of rationalists has been growing day by day in India. It has become more a movement against all forms of conservative ideas and many unwanted so- called traditions that have been blocking social progress and creating hurdles in the path of realisation of human rights, dignity and liberty.
On the other hand, there is also growth of religious extremism in major established religions posing a challenge that resulted in loss of progressive social assets engaged in social reform movements in India such as Dabholkar, Kulbargi, Pansare, Gouri Lenkesh and many others. There is growing caste and communal violence and oppression against women, elderly and children, minorities and specially people with different and decent ideas. They are being persecuted in recent times by the fundamentalists.
It is reported that police have arrested activists of right-wing Hindu group called Sanatan Sanstha for their alleged involvement in Pansare murder but our criminal justice administration has been weak enough to ensure justice to the atheist victims. There are reports of dominant caste councils, Khab Panchyats and religious outfits that are backed by right-wing parties engaged in violence against the so-called low castes, Dalits and Adivasies, women and minority communities. This violence is mostly engineered and ideologically supported to continue the cultural hegemony of the dominant caste people in social life and by that way to gain political and economic power.
The NCRB reports on crime in India and prison statistics of India show a constant rise in crimes against such people who are in the lower ladder of society because of caste, gender and religious identities. The criminals of religious –extremism organizations are being encouraged by leaders of socio-religious and socio-political movements in the name of holy war and getting all kinds of patronization and appreciation in public for such anti-social and anti-human conducts.
The continuation of hate and social segregation will certainly lead to disintegration and loss of peace and progress. The countries placed on top of social and human development index of the world are also having a trend of rising rationalist population. The countries such as Sweden, Nederland, Denmark, Norway, Japan, Vietnam, France, Germany and Belgium who are good in human development, quality of life and happiness index also have a sizable rationalist population. Barring a few, most of the countries of the world have adopted secularism and even countries such as China, Russia, Quba, Vietnam, North Korea and Cambodia have adopted atheism in a large way involving Government and people. It is established that rationalism provides a good basis for socio-economic progress of a nation and promotes more humanity and internationalism. It upholds the application of science and thus social democracy.
Rationalism is not a western idea. It is very much rooted in India also and most indigenous in Indian philosophical tradition since the days of Charvak ,Buddha, Mahavir, Nanak, Tukaram, Phule, Sabitri ,Periya ,Sahu Maharaj, Rammohan Ray, Israel Chandra Vidyasagar to most recent Ambedkar and many others.
The Constitution of India in 1976 adopted the idea of secularism and socialism and also spells out the duties of a citizen of this country where it is said that each citizen has to develop scientific temper, humanism, the spirit of inquiry and reform. But the realisations of the constitutional values and ideas have yet to be grounded among its citizens for whom rationalists have been trying for it by their various efforts including campaign and practices in their social, personal and family sphere.
The most recent incident in the State of Odisha where many of the rationalist organizations took food during the solar eclipse has been widely debated in the State mainstream media by inviting counter arguments of people opposed to it. The rationalists have put forth their point of view based on support of science and constitutional and legal positions but there is stiff resistance in the name of continuation of tradition and religious beliefs. This clash of ideas for change and progress will continue but most of the fights lead to undesirable violence and polarization of society which is not desirable.
The rationalist movement must not limit itself to the events of a few for creating sensations in media but it has to be integrated with a comprehensive progressive socio-political and socio-economic transformation movement for building an egalitarian society based on principles of democracy and liberty and equality. The other progressive forces representing the legacy of social transformation and radical social change must join the rationalists and involve more and more people of all sections inclusive of caste and religion to make it a people’s movement.
