Rationalism is back in focus with the CBI having made the first arrest in the Narendra Dabholkar murder case. After crusading against superstition for years, Dabholkar’s voice of reason was silenced nearly three years ago. This arrest has brought a ray of hope to all those who had despaired of any breakthrough in the murder investigation after such a long time. The CBI has pointed out that the arrested man — Hindu Janajagruti Samiti member Dr Virendrasinh Tawde — is the key link to not just the Dabholkar murder, but also the assassination of fellow rationalists Govind Pansare and MM Kalburgi.

Now, more than ever, we must ensure that the rationalist movement gains strength. In a country rife with godmen and charlatans professing miracle cures, and the public seeped in misguided faith and mumbo-jumbo, we need rationalism as a potent weapon to fight such superstition.