Javed Akhtar warns people: Beware of those trying to rule through religion shield

Hindi channels spreading superstition, says Rajdeep Sardesai

Javed Akhtar

AT an event organised to mark the fourth death anniversary of Dr Narendra Dabholkar, poet and activist Javed Akhtar underlined the need to question religion and superstitions, and warned people to be sceptical of those trying to rule using religion as a shield. Akhtar was speaking at the day-long events organised under the banner “Jawab Do” by Maharashtra Andhashradhha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS), questioning the lacklustre progress in the murder probes of Dabholkar as well as Govind Pansare and M M Kalburgi, all of whom were murdered over the last four years.

Apart from Akhtar, senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, Shaila Dabholkar, Atul Pethe, Vijay Kenkare, Kishor Kadam and Manaswini Lata Ravindra were also present and spoke on various subjects that highlighted the need to create a society devoid of violence and superstition. Speaking on the occasion, Akhtar said contemporary society was displaying schizophrenic symptoms, where people see and believe satellites being sent off to moon using science but still hold on to superstitious beliefs which are as ancient as organised religion.

“I’m not surprised to learn that Copernicus and Galileo were tormented because they probed truth, which they learnt through practise of science hundreds of years ago. It was understandable since people at that time were ignorant and had no way of knowing better. However, today people know and see things that science has brought in. They launch satellite and send it to an exact location based on its programming. However, they still believe and follow the superstitions doled out by leaders of organised religion. What can you call this if not schizophrenia,” said Akhtar.

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Akhtar praised Dr Dabholkar for trying to introduce the people of Maharashtra to a progressive idea of rationalism by weaning them away from the trap of superstitions. “Sadly, our society, which is happy in being orthodox and conservative, which liked to depend on God for relieving it of its problems, never tried to understand what he was saying,” said Akhtar.

Sardesai blamed the media, specifically Hindi news channels, of playing a huge role in spreading superstitions among the public. “Just to get advertisement revenue, the news channels dole out hours and hours of shows spreading superstitions. We never see our anchors discussing and debating issues of social importance, about reforms in law and education. Everyday, we watch prime time TV showing ten people fight with each other over some frivolous issue,” said Sardesai.

Earlier in the day, about a hundred supporters of Dabholkar and Pansare braved heavy rains to participate in a foot march to protest the slow pace of investigation in the murder cases. The marchers included prominent faces such as Amol Palekar, Atul Pethe, Sonali Kulkarni apart from Dabholkar and Pansare family members.

“In four years, very little has progressed. They have arrested one person but the assailants, Sarang Akolkar and Vinay Pawar, are still at large. We still don’t know who are the masterminds,” said Hamid. “People are anxious due to the slow speed of investigation in all three cases. It’s pouring but people have come out on the road asking when are you going to nab the killers,” said Mukta.

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