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Rationalists to launch drive against fake spiritual leaders

KOCHI: The rationalists’ organisation, Bharateeya Yuktiwadi Sangham, will launch a State-level drive here on Wednesday to “expose fake diviners who exploit gullible people and cheat the faithful.”

The drive seeks to educate people against the tricks and machinations of miracle healers and those claiming to possess divine powers, Sreeni Pattathanam, general secretary of the sangham, told The Hindu. The event will be inaugurated by Dr K. S. David, psychiatrist.

The drive is in the wake of the expose` of a number of cheats posing as spiritual leaders and the succession of police raids on self-appointed godmen, he said.

As part of the campaign, a “divine miracle expose” would be held. Some 20 tricks, such as fire walk, pongal vilayaattam, manja neeraattu, and burning a homa kuntam with mind power would be enacted. Mr. Pattathanam said he and his team of rationalists would also enact tricks such as materialising bhasmam, gold chain and wrist-watch from air. Such shows would be staged in each district at important towns so that people in inner areas could be cautioned against godmen who hoodwink them using “miracles.” The sangham has thrown a challenge to the godmen that any one of them could prove their divine powers with miracles that cannot be replicated by the rationalists and win Rs. 10 lakh.

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