Vijaya Viharam
The International Humanist and Ethical Union, the umbrella organisation for over 100 Humanist, Rationalist, Agnostic, Skeptic, Atheist and Ethical Culture groups in 37 countries, expresses its grave concern over the issue of non-bailable arrest warrants on 14 December 2000 by Andhra
Pradesh State police for Mr. T.V. Ramana Murty, Editor of Hyderabad based Telugu language humanist/rationalist youth monthly VIJAYA VIHARAM.
The raid on 14 December 2000 on the offices of VIJAYA VIHARAM, the sealing of the editorial offices, the seizure of all the December 2000 issues of the magazine, the confiscation of the copies from the magazine’s distribution agents in the districts of Kurnool, Cuddapah and Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh State, the arrests of Mr. Ramana Murthy’s colleagues Mr. Veerabhadra Rao and Mr. Jehangir on 14 December 2000, and the non-disclosure by police of their whereabouts, does little to calm the alarm in the international community. Mr. Ramana Murthy himself has gone underground, hoping to avoid arrest and safeguard his liberty by applying to the State High Court for anticipatory bail during the week of 18 December 2000.
Charges filed by the police under Indian Penal Code Sections 153 A and 295 A indicate that Mr. T.V. Ramana Murthy and his colleagues are accused of promoting enmity between religious groups, and of maliciously outraging the religious feelings of Muslims. This charge appears to be
extreme, considering that all that the Editor did was to publish an article on Swami Dayananda Saraswati (1824 - 1883), the Hindu reformer and founder of the reformist Arya Samaj. In the article (not authored by the editor) quotations of Swami Dayananda Saraswati’s critical opinions on Islam, sourced from his famous book Satyartha Prakash (The Light of Truth: in circulation for the last 125 years), have been used. The IHEU expresses unreserved concern and dismay that quotations from a book legally available, and hundreds of thousands of whose copies are freely circulated and stocked in public libraries throughout India should be deemed by the police to be objectionable to ommunal harmony. In this light, the IHEU takes note of the fact that VIJAYA VIHARAM has been carrying a series of articles critical of the influential so-called Godman Satya Sai Baba, and of the accusation by the publishers of VIJAYA VIHARAM that the actions against them by the police are motivated, since many dignitaries and senior police officials in India are devotees of Satya Sai Baba. The magazine publishers also allege that their articles against Vaastu (Indian geomancy, similar to Feng Shui) have provoked vested interests (who exploit this superstition by charging exhorbitant
A special e mail address campaign@iheu.org has also been created to be the focus of protest, and members of the public are invited to write to this address.
As non-believers Humanists reject absolute authorities and revealed wisdoms. Believing in intellectual integrity; they do not allow custom to replace conscience. Therefore they feel duty-bound to combat religious and social norms that do not stand the test of reason, or those that are not in harmony with modern and civilised norms of behaviour. Activity of this kind is an attempt to elevate the moral and social level of society, rather than a malicious intent to hurt any
one’s sentiments. Humanists give the greatest importance to respect for rights of all sections of society to hold their beliefs, but submit to all concerned that responsible and constructive criticism of religion or belief is essential for social progress. To stifle free expression or to suppress history in the name of respect to religions infringes on the free exercise of humanity’s critical faculties, and would hamper all honest attempts to introduce social reforms.