Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

muriel_volestrangler

(102,693 posts)
Wed Jun 4, 2014, 06:28 AM Jun 2014

The Indian miracle-buster stuck in Finland

An Indian man who made his name exposing the "miraculous" feats of holy men as tricks has fled the country after being accused of blasphemy. Now in self-imposed exile in Finland, he fears jail - or even assassination - if he returns.
...
Edamaruku was challenged to investigate and so he went to the site with an engineer friend and traced the source of the drip backwards. Moisture on the wall the statue was mounted on seemed to come from an overflowing drain, which was in turn fed by a pipe that issued from a nearby toilet.
...
In the following weeks, three police stations in Mumbai took up blasphemy cases filed against him by Catholic groups under the notorious Section 295a of India's colonial-era penal code.
...
He arrived in Helsinki on a summer afternoon two years ago, the endless hours of sunlight saturating both day and night. He thought he would only stay for a couple of weeks until the furore he left behind in India had died down.

But the furore has not died down - the Catholic Secular Forum (CSF), one of the groups that made the initial complaint, still insists it will press for prosecution should he ever return.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26815298


His fear of assassination has a basis - his fellow sceptic Narendra Dabholkar was murdered.
3 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
The Indian miracle-buster stuck in Finland (Original Post) muriel_volestrangler Jun 2014 OP
"What's the harm?" Orrex Jun 2014 #1
There are worse places to spend a hot summer Warpy Jun 2014 #2
Don't screw with Mother Theresa! progressoid Jun 2014 #3

Warpy

(113,131 posts)
2. There are worse places to spend a hot summer
Wed Jun 4, 2014, 03:02 PM
Jun 2014

and I dream of vacationing there in June (hottest month in the desert) when the cat goes to her eternal reward.

It's also a reasonably rational country where he won't be imprisoned or assassinated.

People really hate to see bullshit exposed for what it is. There's always a price to be paid for doing it. It's also necessary to do.

In this case, exposing tears as real shit (in part) was more than the faithful could stand. Shame on him.

Heh heh heh.

Latest Discussions»Culture Forums»Skepticism, Science & Pseudoscience»The Indian miracle-buster...