Irrational exuberance

Superstition remains a healthy growth industry in India

Earlier this week, the main accused in the assassination of journalist Gauri Lankesh, who was killed just over a year ago, was taken into custody as a suspect in the murder of Narendra Dabholkar, who was shot dead during his morning walk five years ago. This reminder of the assassination of a rationalist who fought to eradicate superstition from Indian society comes at a time when the cause of science and rationalism has been under siege in an embarrassingly public way over the past decade. 

Then there is this fascination for taking mythical tales as literal truth. Prominent leaders representing various