Atheist meet cancelled, ‘cops feared it can disturb law & order on Ram Navami’

Prof Dr Sharad Baviskar, Tukaram Sonavane and Dr Mugdha Karnik were the speakers at the event. Organisers said nearly 350 persons from different parts of Maharashtra had registered their names for the conference.

The venue of the conference comes under the jurisdiction of the Vishrambag police station. On April 8, the organisers gave a letter to the Vishrambag police station, giving details about the conference.

“This was the seventh edition of the atheist conference. As responsible citizens, we informed the police about it. But then the cops started calling us. We had a meeting with police officials on Saturday morning. Police told us that April 10 is Ram Navami and holding the atheist conference on the same day might cause law and order problems. Cops did not name any outfit or person, but they said some organisations have claimed that the atheist conference is planned on Ram Navami for hurting the sentiments of the believers. Police expressed fear of law and order situation,” said Dr Nitin Hande, an organiser.

”We gave another letter to the cops on Saturday seeking their co-operation to the Atheist conference. We said our conference is an in-house programme. It is only by invitation. It is a non-political programme, which does not aim to hurt anybody. It is meant for those who believe in scientific approach, humanity, modernity, atheism and principles of our Constitution,” he added.

In reply, police gave a letter to Hande, Vivek Sambare and Rahul Mane of the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Vicharmanch, Pune, asking them to “postpone” the atheist conference.

But this letter signed by senior police inspector Sunil Mane of the Vishrambag police station made no mention of Ram Navami or law and order problem. The letter rather cited that organisers have not made it clear what thoughts and what topics the speakers would be talking about during the conference.

Letter further mentioned that “instead of April 10, the conference should be organised on April 24, 2022.” The letter even asked the organisers to tell in advance and in writing on what topics the speakers would be guiding at the conference.

“We wonder why cops are asking for such details in advance and that too in writing. Six such atheist conferences have taken place in the past. No law and order problem ever happened earlier,” said Hande, and mentioned they have cancelled the April 10 conference and plan to hold it on another date.

His colleague Vivek said, “We never thought about Ram Navami while planning the atheist conference. For us April 10 was just a Sunday. We have not received any threats for organising the conference.”

When contacted, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Vishrambag division) Ramakant Mane said, “We have not received any complaint from any outfit for opposing the atheist conference. But being Ram Navami festival, cops are already busy with bandobast duties. So we asked the organisers to hold the conference on April 24. They agreed with us.”

Police sources said that after the announcement of the atheist conference, several posts by its supporters and opponents were seen on social media. So suspecting a law and order problem, the organisers were asked to change the date as it clashed with Ram Navami festival.