People's Democracy

AIPSO Condemns the brutal murder Of Dr Narendra Dabholkar

The secretariat of the All India Peace & Solidarity Organisation (AIPSO) has issued the following statement August 21:

THE All India Peace & Solidarity Organisation has strongly condemned the brutal murder of eminent social worker and foremost rationalist of the country Dr Narendra Dabholkar in Pune by unknown assassins. It is suspected that this heinous crime was committed at the behest of those obscurantist forces who wanted to stop the passage of the bill in the Maharashtra assembly that sought to prevent practicing black magic, blind faith and superstition in the society.

Dr Dabholkar was a leading light of Indian rationalist movement. He served as the vice president of the Federation of Indian Rationalist Association and was the founder of the Maharashtra Andhshraddha Nirmoolan Samiti. He for a long time was trying to get an anti-superstition bill enacted by the Maharashtra assembly and had drafted an anti black magic bill a couple of years ago. It was fiercely opposed by not only Hindu extremist groups but also by political parties like the BJP and the Shiv Sena on the grounds that it would have adverse impact on the Hindu culture. Dr Dabholkar was also actively involved in the Dalit Rights movements. In his death, India has lost one of its pioneering crusaders for inculcating scientific temper in the society.

The AIPSO deeply mourns his death and expresses grave concern over such acts of violence so easily carried out to muffle the voice of reason. This is a telling example of the growing intolerance in the country that should concern all right-thinking citizens. The AIPSO demands that the state government take the matter with all gravity that it deserves and make all-out efforts to apprehend the killers and put them on judicial trial at the earliest.

The AIPSO also sends its deepest condolences to the bereaved family.