The Rise of Intolerance

Narendra Nayak As we progress in material terms and with the rise of technology one would expect the society to become more tolerant, liberated and open to all points of view however much they differ from what we hold. But, we see that the opposite is happening.  The success of a democracy is measured by the extent of freedom of expression of the citizens and the protection given to exercise this right. The right to dissent and that to blasphemy are fundamental human rights. But....

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Madhya Pradesh: Path Way to Hindu Rashtra

Ram Puniyani Recently (December 2011) M.P. Government’s Gau-Vansh Vadh Pratishedh (Sanshodhan) Act (Bill for Protection of Cow Progeny) got the Presidential clearance. As per this act punishment for slaughtering the cow or its progeny, transporting them to slaughter house, eating and storing beef, is punishable with a fine of R 5000 and prison term up to seven years.  States like Gujarat, Karnataka, Jharkhand and Himachal Pradesh already have laws against cow slaughter, while Orissa...

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Time to Move On

Narendra Nayak While Ajitha's death was a very sad one and there are no reasons to suspect any foul play, it is time for us to introspect and move on. Ajita Kamal with James Randi I have been associated with Nirmukta before the site was started and I think I have been the most prolific of the contributors to the site. Ajita had contacted me about Premanand at the time when he was seriously ill and was not to survive for long. We wanted to build up the movement and involve the younger generation...

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BJP: Hypocrisy on Political Chessboard

Ram Puniyani This year 2011 was very eventful as far as the political arena is concerned. This year also exposed the duel attitudes of BJP on most of the issues yet again. The various issues, Anna Hazare’s movement, Government trying to bring in FDI in retail, bill for rationalization of fuel price and the deletion of Ramanujam’s essay in the University text, showed its real colors. In many of the bills related to FDI etc., which were brought up for discussion in Parliament, BJP most of...

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Ajita Kamal

Ajita Kamal, founder of www.nirmukta.com With deep sorrow, we inform our readers the untimely death (on January 9, 2012) of our beloved comrade, Ajita Kamal, the founder of  www.nirmukta.com, the best online network of rationalists in India. In the absence of full details, we reproduce a write-up posted on the facebook page of nirmukta. With deep sorrow, we regret to inform of the untimely death of Ajita Kamal. Ajita is the founder of Nirmuka and was a great champion of freethought...

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Why I am a Materialist

JBS Haldane   When I say that I am a materialist I mean that I believe in the following statements: 1. Events occur which are not perceived by any mind. 2. There were unperceived events before there were any minds. And I also believe, though this is not a necessary logical deduction from the former two, that: 3. When a man has died he is dead. Further, I think that it is desirable that other people should believe these statements. I do not mean that I believe that...

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Pulling a Chariot with Hooks in the Back

B Premanand In one of the recent Kumbh melas, a naked Naga Baba walked in the procession with a hook on his penis skin dangling a 35 kg stone. This came on the National Television and most of the newspapers and journals published the photograph. When interviewed, he attributed his feat to yogic power and celibacy. In fact, it had nothing to do with celibacy or yoga. The foreskin is strong enough to take a weight of 80 kg. But the baba, being afraid to do so, lifted only 35 kg. A...

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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 today as a result of the activities of Islamist fanatics over a period of six decade of that country's existence. One year ago, the...

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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 protesting against the socio-economic disparities which are due to the present system of economic structure. The Occupy Wall street movement is very profound in the sense that it...

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J Muir's Essay on Carvaka/Lokayata

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