Kerala: Congress, BJP Oppose Speaker’s Comments on Pseudo Science, CPI(M) Refutes Allegations of Hurting Religious Beliefs

The past nine years since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed power in 2014 have witnessed staggering claims about the existence of genetics, stem cell technology, plastic surgery and aeroplanes in the ancient Vedic period. The propaganda has been carried out by several leaders of the BJP, led by the prime minister himself.

The BJP and other rightwing forces have been vehemently intolerant and irate against individuals and organisations propagating scientific temper among the public. The most recent target of the Sangh Parivar is AN Shamsheer, the speaker of the Kerala Assembly, for his advice to students to remain alert about mythology being propagated as science.

The speaker warned students in a school in Kannur recently to be aware of pseudoscience being insisted as facts, in an apparent reference to the prime minister's speech at the Indian Science Congress and other science-related events. 

The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) is among the outfits jumping in to condemn Shamsheer, along with their ideological enemies, the Sangh Parivar.

Nair Service Society (NSS), a caste-based organisation, held prayer yatras demanding the speaker to withdraw his comments. But, the speaker and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] rejected the demand, citing the constitutional right to develop scientific temper.

CONGRESS, BJP ATTACK SPEAKER

Addressing a group of students on July 21, the speaker spoke in detail about the importance of understanding the difference between myths and science. Shamsheer took exception to the claims of the Hindu God Ganesh being proof of the existence of plastic surgery in the Vedic period.

Responding to questions from the students, one of which was about the invention of aeroplanes, he said that it was Wright Brothers, but for believers of Hindutva, it is Pushpaka Vimana. Shamsheer also accused the Hindutva ideology of propagating myths in place of science.

Four days later, on July 25, a district-level BJP leader filed a case in Thiruvananthapuram against the speaker for insulting Hindu beliefs. The complainant alleged that the speaker violated the constitutional oath.

The BJP and Congress joined hands to condemn the speaker and urged him to withdraw the comments, which he and the CPI(M) refused.

Addressing a press conference, Shamsheer refused to withdraw his comments.

"Article 25 of the Indian Constitution provides every citizen the right to profess, practice and propagate a religion. Similarly, Article 51A (h) says that it is the right of every citizen to have a scientific temper. I have not violated the constitutional office, nor have I hurt the sentiments of any religion," he said.

MV Govindan Master, the CPI(M) state secretary, listed several myths prevailing in the society, including the story behind the formation of Kerala.

"We have been hearing stories about the area between Gokarna and Kanniyakumari being formed when Parasurama threw the axe from Gokarna. He also asked for the land to be handed over to the Brahmins. Is this not a myth?" he said.

He said that Shamsheer would neither withdraw the comments nor correct them since he has spoken precisely about the propagation of myths as science by the rightwing forces for the past few years.

SCIENCE MOVEMENT RUBBISHES CLAIMS

The NSS, known for its traditional opposition to the CPI(M) and the left democratic front (LDF), came up with weird claims relating to beliefs and science. The organisation has called for the conduct of 'Belief Protection Jathas' across the state, similar to the one held by the Sangh Parivar organisations after the Sabarimala verdict permitting women of all ages to enter the temple.

"For us, belief is more important than science," proclaimed Sukumaran Nair, the general secretary of the NSS, which runs schools and colleges across the state. However, a section of NSS leaders are against the decision of the general secretary. Most of the dissenting leaders have demanded the organisation concentrate on the betterment of its own members rather than sneaking its head into politics.

K Sudhakaran, the president of the KPCC, welcomed the decision of the NSS to hold such protests. But, both he and the opposition leader VD Satheesan remained silent on similar comments by Shashi Tharoor. More than the BJP, the Congress party is involved in supporting the protest against Shamsheer.

The Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP) rejected the activities and claims of the fundamentalist organisations seeking to silence scientific and rational thinking.

The KSSP, in a detailed statement, accused the Union government of rewriting scientific facts with mythologies.

"These efforts and activities are not just for the protection of faith but to destroy the rationality and scientific temper of the people," the statement said. 

The KSSP also mentioned the need for the Anti-Superstition Act at the national level to curb such unscientific propaganda from the ruling dispensation.

"Kerala has advanced a long way in rational thinking and scientific consciousness by upholding the tradition of the Renaissance movement," it said.

The statement also claimed that the communal fascists are attempting to destroy logical thinking.

"Anyone with a modern education will agree that the speaker has made objective, scientific and bureaucratic comments. If even the religion of the speaker's birth becomes a source of controversy, it may lead Kerala to a more dangerous social divide," the statement added.

Political observers, too, have taken strong exception to the position of the Congress party, siding with fundamental elements for electoral gains. The BJP, as usual, has been attempting to consolidate the Hindu vote bank, which traditionally votes for the LDF.