Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan pitched for popularisation of scientific temper by highlighting that many parts of the country were still under hold of superstitious beliefs despite India being the first nation to touch the moon's south pole. After inaugurating a meeting at Chempazhanthy in Thiruvananthapuram on the occasion of saint reformer Sree Narayana Guru's 169th birth anniversary on Thursday, Vijayan asked why the country was unable to create scientific awareness among people despite making advances in science and technological fields.
According to PTI, the CM said that even though India became the first nation to touch the south pole of the moon many parts of the country were still practicing human sacrifices and violence on the basis of superstition.
"Why is it that even as we progress in the field of science and technology, we are unable to create scientific awareness? We need to evaluate that," he said, as quoted in the report.
The CM also claimed that false scientific assumptions were taking the place of evolution theories in textbooks. In addition to the numerous wars, natural disasters and riots occurring around the world, India was also seeing race, caste, or religious-based killings.
In reference to recent events in Manipur and Haryana, he claimed that animosity and division among people were also recently evident in a classroom at a school in Uttar Pradesh. The flames of hatred burning in Manipur and Haryana have forced us to make our heads bow in shame, he said.
Vijayan was referring to the violence in Manipur and Haryana and an incident where students slapped their classmates belonging to a minority community on the instructions of a teacher in Uttar Pradesh.
Further, the CM said that the communal forces were in full swing to bring down the secular fabric and unity of the people in the country by upholding the divisive politics.
He, therefore, urged the people to follow the teachings of spiritual leaders including Sree Narayana Guru.