Fight Against Superstition Needs Country Wide Campaign

The subject of defining faith and blind faith has always been one of the focal point of
discussion between intellectuals. Since the debate involves reasoning about faith,
religions, religious practices, it also incite passion, hate and sometime extreme
reactions. Murder of a noted activist and rationalist Narendra Dabholkar on 20th
august, 2013 brings spotlight on the need of a country wide campaign against
superstitious practices. Within days of his murder Maharashtra government brought
Anti-superstition law for which he was campaigning for a very long time. But now the
question arise whether merely creating legislation however stringent, would be
sufficient enough to curb such practices or does it also need a country wide public
awareness and planned campaign to remove such deep rooted social evil from
common practices.
Superstition is defined as an irrational believe or behaviour which profoundly based
on apparent existence of supernatural objects, witchcraft and abject rituals which are
against the very basis of natural science and common logics. In India superstition is
deeply imbedded in social fabric. Some form of these believes and rituals are highly
abject, inhuman and criminal in nature. There are several reasons for such
superstitious believes in India. Religious factors are one the most important cause
behind wide spread superstitious practices though the opinions are highly divided.
Rationalist argue that basis of each religion that belief in the existence of God itself
promote superstitions and supernatural phenomenon, however many believe that
there is a profound difference between faith and blind faith. Though at the core the
teaching of most of the religions don't preach superstition, however there is no doubt
that religious teachings have always been quoted by the propagators of such rituals.
It also involves social factors such as caste, economic and education status of the
masses.
Though the situation is improving with improvement in education, health and
economic growth, the process is painfully slow. In the quest of solution to the problem
of deep rooted superstitious beliefs, we find the need of country wide campaign
against this social evil. Till now 3 states Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh have already
enforced anti-superstitious law. However if we look at the effect of these laws in those
states either they are not effectively implemented or they are weak. This again raises
a question about the sufficiency of legislation. As in case of anti-dowry law; neither
the dowry cases nor death due to dowry has ever been stopped. But there are fine
examples of many such social evils like 'Sati Pratha' which was eradicated from the
society only once a proper legislation was formed against it. But the success of such
legislation is hugely depends upon the society response. If we look at the history of
some relatively progressive states where superstitious rituals are less practices like
Kerala, Bengal, Tamil Nadu we will find that they all share the history of strong social
or political movements against such practices. Whether it is Narayan Guru,
Vivekananda, Arya Samaj, Ram Mohan Roy, Brahma Samaj, E. V. Ramasamy
(Periyar) led social movements; they all have contributed significantly in educating
people of their state against such rituals. The legislation against superstition only
gives us a legal tool to fight it; however the utmost requirement is a country wide
campaign to effectively implement it.

Success of polio eradication through Pulse polio program is another such story which
signifies the role of coordinated country wide campaign. Despite initial hue and cry,
people hesitation and religious opposition, this program was so successful without
any legislation but purely due to country wide campaign against polio. Such campaign
against superstitions should include following strategy.

Mass campaign through print, media, drama, advertisements, films to educate

the public, how such rituals have no scientific basis and they can be disastrous
for individuals as well as society.
There should be a country wide co-ordinated approach rather than a localized
one.
We need a public awareness campaign to educate people about anti-superstition
law and its clauses.
Campaign need to associate common people to identify and track such acts if
performed at rural or urban level since it is hard for police alone to track such
practices if performed at isolated level. We must set examples by acting strong
against such Baba, Tantric etc.
Public campaign against superstition has to involve prominent religious figures
from across the religions to address that large population which have deep faith
in them.
The campaign should involve school going children because children are more
prone to absorb such beliefs from the society simultaneously also for seeding of
scientific temper. It will be better if specific chapters can be added in to their
curriculum.
Schools, colleges, universities can be used to conduct public debate. It will help
to expose superstitious behaviours and will also help in creating positive
atmosphere for growth of reasoning and scientific temperament.

Fight against superstition is not only the need of hour but citizen's fundamental duty.
As according to constitution (51A), it is a citizen's fundamental duty to evolve scientific
temper, Humanism, spirit of enquiry and reform. Scientific temper is the mental
attitude that gives us the power of reasoning and reforms and it is directly against the
idea of superstitious beliefs and practices. However by looking at education,
economic and social status in India, it will not be realistic to think that a mere
legislation or government effort can eradicate deep rooted superstitious behaviour
from society. We need a well-coordinated country wide mass campaign to aware the
common people about the harms of such practices and beliefs, simultaneously a
nationwide campaign only can force the government to act strong and determined
against inhuman religious practices.