Sanal Edamaruku, well known rationalist, under
threat of arrest for exposing the “miracle”
On 10th March, Sanal Edamaruku, President of the Rationalist International,
flew to Mumbai. The TV channel TV-9 had invited him to investigate a
“miracle” that caused local excitement.
He went with the TV team to Irla in
Vile Parle to inspect the crucifix standing there in front of the Church of Our
Lady of Velankanni. This crucifix had become the centre of attraction for an
ever growing crowd of believers coming from far and wide. The news of the
miracle spread like wild fire. For some days, there were little droplets of
water trickling from Jesus’ feet. Hundreds of people came every day to pray and collect some of the “holy water” in bottles and vessels. Sanal Edamaruku
identified the source of the water (a drainage near a washing room) and the
mechanism how it reached Jesus feet (capillary action). The local church
leaders, present during his investigation, appeared to be displeased.
See the investigation in detail on
YouTube.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUqhq9MuRG8Some
hours later, in
a live program on TV-9, Sanal explained his findings and accused the concerned
Catholic Church officials of miracle mongering, as they were
beating the big drum for the drippling Jesus statue with aggressive PR measures
and by distributing photographs certifying the “miracle”.
A heated debate began, in which the five church people, among them Fr.
Augustine Palett, the priest of Our Lady of Velankanni church, and
representatives of the Association of Concerned Catholics (AOCC) demanded that
Sanal apologize. But Sanal refused and argued against them. [The whole TV
program is recorded. You can watch an
abridged version of it on YouTube.]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfJ6_ftih0sWhen
they saw Sanal refused to bow to their demands, they threatened to
file a blasphemy case against him. And they did.
Yesterday (10th April,2012) Sanal received a phone call from a
Police official of Juhu Police Station in Mumbai directing him to come to
the said police station to face the charges and get arrested. He also said that
FIRs have also been filed in Andheri and some other police stations u/s
295 of Indian Penal Code on the allegations of hurting the religious sentiments
of a particular community. Mumbai police has announced that they were
out to arrest him. It is apprehended that he can be
arrested any moment.
The filing of FIRs by Mumbai police and threatening to arrest a well known
rationalist who has been exposing miracles and superstitious beliefs for
more than three decades is a serious attack on the freedom of expression.
Clause (h) of Article 51-A of Constitution of India states that :‘It
shall be the duty of every citizen of India to develop the scientific
temper, humanism and spirit of inquiry and reform.’ In exposing the said
miracle, Sanal was performing his fundamental duty enshrined in our
constitution. It is distressing
that the Mumbai police has chosen to harass and victimize him for doing his
fundamental duty.
‘Sanal Edamaruku Defence Committee’ appeals to all progressive
individuals and organizations to protest and oppose the
reprehensible steps of the Maharashtra police in filing FIRs against Sanal and
stand behind him in solidarity for the cause of
scientific thinking and freedom of expression.
N.D.Pancholi 11 April,
2012
Convenor, Sanal Edamaruku Defence
Committee
PS. Please have a look at "www.rationalistinternational.net."