Rationalists slam Isro chief's temple visit

Even while the Mars orbiter had barely reached the Earth’s orbit, a controversy has started brewing over Isro chairman Dr K Radhakrishnan’s visit to the Tirupati temple ahead of the launch. Rationalists have accused the Isro chief of insulting the Constitution by violating Article 51 A.

President of the Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations (FIRA) Dr Narendra Nayak said, “He (Radhakrishnan) had no business to take a replica of PSLV to Tirupati Tirumala temple and place it in front of the deity there. By doing this, he has violated the Article 51 A of the constitution which states that it is the duty of every citizen to develop scientific temper and spirit of enquiry and humanism. He has perhaps forgotten that ours is secular republic and that worship of a deity belonging to one particular religion particularly in matters of the state is negating this very basic tenet of our constitution.”

He said,“I don’t know which principle of science is applicable to the act of placing a replica of the launch vehicle at the feet of a statue at a temple. He has said, ‘‘We have to understand a lot from the solar system, etc’. If this is the case we have to also go a long way to understand how a person like him in a responsible position in a government organisation be foolish enough to believe that prayers to particular god can ensure the proper launch of a satellite.”

The FIRA has demanded that Radhakrishnan be sacked immediately for having committed  this affront to the Constitution. “If he were to go a temple for his personal work we would have no reason to object at all. But carrying his personal superstition into matters of the state is a crime against our constitution,” Dr Nayak added.