Nitish-Modi Spat: Debating Secularism

Ram Puniyani Nitish Kumar in an obvious reference to opposition to Modi’s possible projection as the Prime-ministerial candidate of NDA, in the next parliamentary elections said that NDA’s Prime Ministerial candidate should be one with secular credentials. His aide went on to say that Vajpayee had the intention of sacking in the wake of Gujarat carnage and the NDA lost 2004 Parliamentary elections due to the Gujarat carnage and role of Modi in the same (June 19, 2012). In response Lalu Yadav...

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The Levitation "Miracle" at Kamarali Durvesh Dargah

After we uploaded Premanand’s writing on the 'miracle' at Kamarali Durvesh Dargha, Shivapuri, Pune, we came across a very interesting article on the same ‘miracle’. It was published in Skeptical Inquirer in its Spring/Summer 1978 issue (Volume II, No.2). Since this article is not easy to come by, we post it here for the benefit of our readers. The Leviation "Miracle" At Shivpuri When Philip Morrison, the book editor of Scientific American magazine, heard about a remarkable demonstration that...

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Abraham Kovoor’s Case Diary: Miracles at Lourdes

Abraham Kovoor Every lay-member of the Roman Catholic Church, who is encouraged by the Church to go on pilgrimage to Lourdes, should read the book "Eleven Lourdes Miracles" by Dr. DJ. West, M.B. CH. B., D.P.M. (Duckworth). Dr. West critically examines the eleven cases that have been proclaimed miracu­lous by Canonical Commissions dating between 1937 and 1952. Each case has passed through the three stages necessary for adoption as miracles. They have been investi­gated and reviewed by the...

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Miracles in Islam: Kamarali Darvesh Dargah of Shivapuri

B Premanand Islam is one of the few religions which state that no human being can perform miracles . But for a religion to survive, miracles are a must. If we visit some of the mosques and darghas we will find that many miracles are believed to occur there. Though the Prophet Muhammad destroyed almost all idols and idol-wor­ship, he failed to completely wipe out idols. There remains one stone in Kaba worshipped by Muslims. This is because gullible people need something to hold on out of...

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Quota for Backwards: Struggle for Social Justice

Ram Puniyani After Supreme Court Bench had expressed unhappiness about the ways in which the Muslim sub Quota was created last December, the Government has been trying to submit the necessary data. Supreme Court wanted Centre to explain the basis of the move to reserve this 4.5% for the Muslims. With due support from relevant studies and documents Govt is trying to put forward the justification for its move. This Supreme Court verdict was in the backdrop of Andhra High Court decision to quash...

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Targeting Innocents: State and Human Rights of Minorities

Ram Puniyani In Kalyan a Muslim youth Bilal Shaikh was slaped with a non boilable cognizable offense (May 2012) under section 333, after he jumped the traffic signal. He was assaulted brutally by the police for having arguments with them, suffered a fracture in right arm and was in jail for eight days. The policemen who beat him up got released with the non cognizable warrant. Image Courtesy: http://tumkuruniversityjournalism.blogspot.in Another Muslim youth Mohammad Amir Khan, age...

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Weeping Idols and Icons: from Virgin Mary to Chamundeshwari

B Premanand Experiment: 37 Effect: The Virgin Mary sheds real tears, and even the sweat on her body tastes saltish. In 1988 all over the world, icons and statues of the Virgin Mary started weeping. The tears tasted saltish and were believed to be real tears. This happened in Kerala also. Props: Hollow statue of the Virgin Mary made of plaster of Paris or clay with two holes in the eyes, filled with salt and water and sealed at the bottom. Method: The salt filled in the hollow...

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Miracle of Multiplying Food: Jesus Christ to Satya Sai Baba

B Premanand Jesus Christ is said to have multiplied 5 loaves of bread to 5000 and 7 into 7000. In Mahabharatha, Droupadi, wife of the five brothers, Pandavas, is said to have multiplied two grains of cooked rice to feed hundreds. Satya Sai Baba is also said to have multiplied food to feed his devotees. Multiplying the Bread and Fish - Painting by Giovanni Lanfranco If one sows one wheat seed, maybe one can reap 500 wheat grains. But once food is cooked it cannot multiply. Earlier...

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Fishy Treatment of Bathina Goud Family of Hyderabad

Manoj Thazath One killed in stampede for fish medicine (Hyderabad, June 9, 2012) Amid utter chaos and confusion that marked the distribution of the famous ‘fish prasadam' in the city, one person was killed in a stampede while some others suffered injuries in Kattedan, here on Friday. Thousands of people suffering from asthma jostled with one another at the gates of the sports complex on the city outskirts, where the ‘prasadam' was to be administered by Bathina Harinath Goud's family...

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Can Sita be the Role Model for Contemporary Women?

Ram Puniyani Painting: Raja Ravivarma Women’s struggle to break the shackles of patriarchy and come of their own is a part of democratization/secularization process of society. In India while this equality has been granted right with the implementation of Constitution in free India, the social realities are far from those of equality. With the rise of cultural, religious and social norms, which accompany politics in the name of religion, the matters are worse off as far as struggle for...

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