“When we expose the miracles & unscientific programmes, it hurts them economically. This is why they want to silence us.”

With rationalist activists and secular intellectuals coming under attack in India, mirroring the events in Bangladesh by Islamic extremists, the focus has been once again turned on the role of the Sangh Parivar, which is buoyed by the strong Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre, in encouraging and using these fringe groups to silence dissent against Hindutva and Hinduism.

Condemning the recent >murder of Kannada writer M.M. Kalburgi which comes in the wake of the murder of anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar and Communist leader Govind Pansare in Maharashtra, Narendra Nayak, president of the Federation of Indian Rationalists’ Associations, a confederation of 82 rationalist groups spread across India, urged secular parties to openly come out in support of rationalists: “They must say that we have the right to criticise religion the way we want, without any caveats. Failure to do so will only make these groups bolder,” he said.

He said that Hindutva fringe groups targeted specific people to threaten the entire secular people and rationalists into silence. “When we expose the miracles of Babas as frauds, and campaign against unscientific programmes like ‘Mid-brain activation’, it hurts them economically. This is why they want to silence us once for all.”

Having been at the receiving end of right-wing groups many a time, Mr. Nayak, who travels throughout the year to raise awareness about the need to adopt a scientific approach to life, said that the threat from these fringe groups could not be taken lightly. “Those in power use these fringe groups to intimidate us. Those in power back them politically and empower them. But after every attack, they conveniently condemn the attack, disown the organisation,” he said.

Asked if the recent spate of killings had a negative impact on the rationalist movement, deterring young people from joining it, Mr. Nayak said that in fact, it had the reverse effect.

“Talking from my experience of being an activist, I have seen that common people are willing to challenge and question their beliefs. It is the fringe groups that indulge in violence and intimidation. After the murder of Dabholkar, the membership and the number of volunteers in Maharashtra increased.”

Asked what could be the way forward, Mr. Nayak said that a proactive policing and a strident civil society could bring about a long-lasting change. “Police must take prompt and unbiased action. At a programme in Chennai, when Hindu Munnani protested against one of my programmes, the police tried to stop me from conducting my programme instead of arresting those who created the ruckus,” he said.