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Pakistan and Islamism – An Year after Salman Taseer’s Murder
Pervez Hoodbhoy We reproduce an essay written by Dr Pervez Hodbhy, who teaches Nuclear Physics at Lahore University of Management Sciences, Pakistan. This essay, slightly different versions of which appeared in The Express Tribune (January 2, 2012) of Pakistan and The Hindu (January 4, 2012), narrates the hellish life that the people of Pakistan experience…
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Social Movements and Social Change
Ram Puniyani All over the World and in India as well in 2011 we witnessed the uprisings to protest against injustice. In Arab world it has been against tyrannical dictatorial regimes to bring back democracy. In the US and many other European countries where ‘Occupy Wall Street’ has been the major one, the people are…
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Bhagavad Gita and Anti-Corruption Movement – A Bunch of Thoughts
Kesahava Shet Revankar (Here is an interesting take on the on-going anti-corruption movement. The author, an octogenarian, was an officer with MIG Aircraft Division, HAL, Nasik, and now spends his time between Kundapur (Karnataka) and Dubai) This article is an attempt to show the parallel between Anna Hazare of Jan Lokpal Bill (JLP) and Krishna of Bhagavad Gita.…
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Science versus Miracles: Performing “Miracles” with Fire!
B Premanand Burning camphor on the hand and waving it in front of the idol, without apparent injury In 1977, a film artist of Kerala published an article challenging us to burn camphor on the hand and wave it before the idol in the temple. He said that his godman, Swami Satyananda Saraswathi, the International…
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Babri Demolition to Anna Hazare – Changing Strategies of RSS Politics
Ram Puniyani This December, Babri demolition act completed its 19years. On the occasion many a Muslim groups demanded the reconstruction of the masjid. This demand is just but is mired in many a complex legalities and is trapped in the politics in which there are many diverse players. One again needs to clarify that Hindutva…
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Premanand Memorial Lecture
The 3rd Premanand Memorial Lecture, organized by Science Trust, Kozhikode, will take place on January 22, 2012, at Nalanda Auditorium. Renowned Malayalam writer Anand will deliver the keynote address titled “Ariyunna Kadhakalum Ariyaatha Kadhakalum” (Stories We Know and Stories We Know Not), exploring critical perspectives on truth, narrative, and scientific temper.
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Fire Walking
B Premanand Walking on Red Hot Coals Does Not Prove Anyone’s Chastity Experiment – 17 Effect: Walking on red hot coals without the feet getting burnt Props: A pit one foot broad (minimum), eight feet long and three inches deep. At least 100 kg firewood, well dried and hard, kerosene, matches, metal leveler, two planks…
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Premanand Memorial Award
Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations (FIRA), an apex body of more than 75 rationalist, skeptic, secularist organizations in India, has instituted an award in memory of its founder-convener, B Premanand. This award will be given to people who have given valuable contribution towards secularism, scientific temper, skepticism, rational inquiry etc in India. For this year’s…
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The Fraud of Makara Jyothi and another Sabarimala Season!
<!– /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} Manoj Another Sabarimala season is here! It will last for a couple months – until the 14th of January 2012, when the Sabarimala…
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Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations (FIRA) – 8th National Conference
The 8th National Conference of the Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations (FIRA) will be held at Nagpur, Maharashtra, on 11th and 12th February 2012. FIRA, an apex body of more than 75 rationalist, atheist, skeptic, secularist, and science organizations in India, is committed to the development of scientific temper and humanism in India. The Federation…
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Behenji: The Pragmatist Politician
Ram Puniyani With elections looming over Uttar Pradesh horizon, recently (Nov 2011) UP Chief Minister Mayawati declared that her cabinet has approved the proposal to divide the UP state into four smaller states. She declared that only a dalit-OBC Chief Minister should be able to solve the problems of dalit-OBCs. There is also the talk…
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Leftovers of Brahmanism
Here is report on a disgusting annual ritual practised at Kukke Subrahmanya, a prominent temple in Karnataka. This temple, located in one of the most forward districts in Karnataka and patronized by such luminaries from the Indian sports and the cine world as Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Aishwarya Rai, and Shilpa Shetty, attracts lakhs of devotees…
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Preface to “Science versus Miracles”
Pushpa M Bhargava The following is the Preface written by Dr PM Bhargava to the book “Science versus Miracles” of Premanand. We reproduce it as part of our effort to upload the entire book online in html format. We have already uploaded a few chapters of the book. The remaining chapters will be uploaded in…
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Is there a Life after Death?
Innaiah Narisetti The majority of people believe in an after-life. If there is something after death, what is it? After death, the body is buried by some, cremated by some others, donated to hospitals by a few. These practices are common. When a person dies, along with other parts of the body, the brain also dies. That…
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The Early Miracles
B Premanand The early miracles were performed by shamans acting as oracles. Through incantations they brought the spirit of god on themselves, swaying and dancing, and making fearful sounds to prove to their followers that punishment meted out by the clan leader of the rulers could not harm them. Among self-inflicted punishments were ship lashes,…
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Hazards of a Spiritual Pilgrimage
Apollo Hospitals opens critical care unit with ICU facility at Sabarimala (The Hindu, Madurai, November 16, 2011) The Apollo Hospitals has set up a full-fledged critical care unit with ICU facility at Sabarimala for the healthcare needs of devotees going to Lord Iyappa temple. The seven-bedded centre at Pamba was established based on the request…
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Sri Sri Ravishankar and Art of Politics
Ram Puniyani Ravi Shankar AS ELECTIONS in Uttar Pradesh are nearing, so is the number of travels by spiritual gurus. These gurus are giving their discourses against corruption. (November 2011). The major ones amongst them are Baba Ramdev and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (Sri Sri). Sri Sri has shared space with Anna and played a…
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To Kill or Not To Kill: A Human Rights Perspective on Capital Punishment
Ramesh Nagaragere Time was when a king got angry with one of his subjects and said, ‘Off with his head’ and it was done. Not just that. He would also order the chopped off head to be hung on the walls of the fort. At the gates. The intent was not merely to punish…
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Meeting of Freethinkers in Kerala
Here is a mail we have received from the organizers of a Freethinkers’ Meet to be held in Kerala. Friends, Science trust-Calicut and Yukthiyugam magazine ( to commence publication shortly) invite all interested friends to attend a meet at Thrissur, Kerala on 20th November. For details, please see the attached brochure. Science trust, Calicut
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Communalism Muddies Anti-Nuclear Agitation
Carvaka Hindu Outfits Seek Speedy Commissioning Of Project (The Hindu, November 10, 2011) TIRUNELVELI: Even as the participation of Bishops and priests in the ongoing anti-Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project agitation is growing gradually, Hindu outfits have started their campaign in support of the project. Bishops and priests of Roman Catholic and Church of South…
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Ruining Innocent Lives: Guilt of Investigation Agencies
Ram Puniyani Nine youth accused in Malegaon blast case of 2006 have been granted bail by the MCOCA court. (Nov 6 2011). These Muslim youth were arrested after the bomb exploded on the Shab-e-Barat, killing several people. Immediately after that the Anti Terrorist Sqaud, arrested nine Muslim youth, there was really no evidence worth its…
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L’amour plus fort que la haine
Carvaka “Love is stronger than hate” says the French satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, in its latest issue – of course, in their own inimitable acerbic style. The magazine was firebombed on November 2, 2011 for satirizing radical Islamists. The cartoon on the cover page of the magazine had depicted Muhammad promising “100 lashes if you don’t die from laughter.” After…
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Lectures in Memory of Dr. Debiprasad Chattopadyaya
We reproduce a mail received from Nava Karnataka Publications, Bangalore: /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:”Table Normal”; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:””; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} ಪ್ರಿಯರೆ, ಭಾನುವಾರ, 2011ರ ನವಂಬರ್ 13ರ ಬೆಳಗ್ಗೆ 10 ಗಂಟೆಗೆ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಚಾಮರಾಜಪೇಟೆಯ ಶ್ರೀ ಕೃಷ್ಣರಾಜ ಪರಿಷನ್ಮಂದಿರದಲ್ಲಿ 2 ಕೃತಿಗಳು ಲೋಕಾರ್ಪಣೆಯಾಗಲಿವೆ . ಅದೇ ಸಂದರ್ಭದಲ್ಲಿ ಡಾ.…