Must resist glorifying superstition as ancient science: Vijayan
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Kochi: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday warned against attempts to glorify superstition and regressive practices by projecting irrational stories from myths and legends as ancient scientific discoveries, PTI reported.
Inaugurating the 38th Kerala Science Congress here, he said such tendencies of glorifying superstition pose a serious threat to scientific temper and rational thinking in society.
The CM said society must actively resist efforts to revive blind beliefs and unscientific practices, and stressed the need to openly expose narratives that present non-rational mythological claims as historical inventions.
Meaningful discussions that effectively use scientific knowledge and research are essential to counter such trends, he added.
"Anyone who believes in the capacity of science to transform society in a progressive direction must firmly stand on the side of humanism," Vijayan said.
According to him, programmes like the Science Congress become relevant only when such a perspective reaches society at large.
For this, he noted, awareness of global technological advancements alone is not enough; a clear understanding of the true history of science is equally important.
Vijayan said society must understand the conditions in which science evolved, how it diversified into multiple disciplines, and how scientific knowledge has been applied across generations to transform human life.
"At a time when there are deliberate attempts to link the history of science with myths and hearsay, developing a correct and evidence-based historical understanding of science has become imperative," he said.
Delivering the keynote address, ISRO Chairman V Narayanan said Kerala has played a decisive role in India's national growth.
Recalling the situation at the time of Independence in 1947, he said the country faced severe challenges such as widespread poverty, low life expectancy, high mortality rates, limited industrialisation, and weak technological infrastructure.