CHARVAKA

Rationalism. Secularism. Freedom

Freedom of Expression

  • Intolerance Debate
    Intolerance has Gone Up due to Sectarianism

    CHARVAKA DESK

    A quiet rebellion stirs as revered voices return their honors to the state. Beneath promises of rapid development, deep sectarian currents erode the nation’s pluralistic soul. As fear supplants reason and dissent meets hostility, an ancient democracy stands at a grave crossroads. Discover how rising intolerance threatens to redefine the republic’s future.

  • Returning Honors is an Attempt to Save Democracy

    CHARVAKA DESK

    The flood of artists, scientists, and writers returning state honors represents a critical stand against growing intolerance in India. Rejecting claims of a “manufactured rebellion,” Ram Puniyani highlights how this collective protest exposes rising communal violence, institutional subversion, and an urgent need to protect the nation’s democratic and pluralistic fabric.

  • Controlling Thought and Food Habits

    CHARVAKA DESK

    Examining the rise of food bans, sedition orders, and political intolerance, Ram Puniyani highlights how sectarian agendas infringe upon basic democratic freedoms in India. Drawing upon Gandhian ideals and historical pluralism, this essay critiques state-imposed food fundamentalism and advocates for individual liberty, mutual respect, and the preservation of our rich cultural diversity.

  • The Rise of Intolerance

    NARENDRA NAYAK

    The rise of intolerance is no longer a distant threat—it is actively reshaping our daily lives, laws, and freedoms. From literary censorship to digital surveillance, dissenting voices face systematic silencing. Read the full analysis by Narendra Nayak on how these forces jeopardize democratic expression and why breaking our silence is now imperative.

  • Superstitions and Human Rights

    NARENDRA NAYAK

    Broadcast on All India Radio, this insightful talk by Prof. Narendra Nayak examines how superstitious beliefs and religious dogmas systematically infringe upon fundamental human rights. Covering issues from caste discrimination to gender inequality and mental health abuses, the article underscores why rational thinking and secular law must prevail over outdated traditions.

  • Copenhagen Declaration on Religion in Public Life

    CHARVAKA DESK

    This historic manifesto, adopted at the 2010 World Atheist Conference in Copenhagen, outlines fundamental principles for democratic governance. It advocates strict state neutrality, freedom of conscience, equal rights for non-believers, secular education, and the abolition of blasphemy laws and religious courts to preserve scientific inquiry and individual liberty.

  • A Trying Time for Religious Forces

    NARENDRA NAYAK

    This monthly commentary reviews clerical sex scandals in the Vatican and Indian godmen, while charting the rationalist movement’s growth among Indian youth through Nirmukta and college workshops. The author highlights legal persecutions of rationalists, discusses strategy for the 2011 Census regarding atheist categorization, and critiques state appeasement of religious fundamentalism.