‘Spreading pseudoscience: Prashant Bhushan attacks government at Dabholkar lecture

On August 22, Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan addressed the Shaheed Dr Narendra Dabholkar Memorial Lecture in Pune, condemning the current government's promotion of pseudoscience over scientific thinking. The lecture, organized by the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS), honored Dr. Dabholkar, a rationalist and anti-superstition advocate, who was assassinated in Pune on August 20, 2013.

Bhushan criticized the Narendra Modi administration for making unscientific statements and disseminating falsehoods. He highlighted the Prime Minister's claims of non-biological origins, false assertions about Lord Ganesha's trunk being attached through plastic surgery, and the absurd assertion that Mahabharata hero Karna was a test-tube baby. The lawyer also pointed out Bhushan's suggestions that radar systems fail in cloudy conditions, which are scientifically inaccurate.

Emphasizing the significance of rational thought, Bhushan argued that scientific progress emerges from reasoned thought, enabling us to verify the truth behind claims. He released English translations of 10 Marathi booklets authored by Dr. Dabholkar, translated by Professor Rahi Dahake, during the event. The lecture coincided with recent developments in the murder case, as the Bombay High Court granted bail to Sachin Andure, a co-accused in Dr. Dabholkar's killing.

Bhushan warned against excessive dependence on modern technology, asserting that human curiosity, scientific temper, and rationality remain essential despite AI's rapid transformation of daily life. He urged citizens to remain vigilant, pointing out how multinational corporations exploit technology and advertising to spread unscientific narratives for commercial purposes.

The advocate further criticized the infiltration of pseudoscience into prestigious educational institutions, citing an IIT Mandi director who claimed to have witnessed ghost sightings and blamed landslides on meat consumption. Concluding his speech, Bhushan expressed concern over recent educational curriculum revisions, alleging the removal of fundamental scientific concepts like Darwin's theory of evolution and the periodic table, as well as the introduction of unscientific subjects like astrology into academic programs.