Kerala CM Warns Against Glorifying Superstition and Regressive Practices

KOCHI: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday warned against attempts to glorify superstition and regressive practices by projecting stories from myths and legends as ancient scientific discoveries. He said such tendencies pose a serious threat to scientific temper and rational thinking. The CM was inaugurating the 38th Kerala Science Congress in Kochi. He 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. Highlighting how the state played a decisive role in India’s national growth, ISRO chairman V Narayanan said, “At the time of independence, India faced severe challenges such as widespread poverty, low life expectancy, limited industrialisation, and weak technological infrastructure.” From those conditions, India has achieved remarkable progress, he said. At the function, the CM presented the 2024 Kerala Science Award to scientist Dr Tessy Thomas. He also distributed the state government’s science and technology awards, including the Kerala State Young Scientist Award, Best Scientist Award, and awards for science literature and media.