Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said it is time people resisted attempts by some quarters to take society back into “darkness” and to “create theocratic States”. He was speaking at a function organised by Bharatiya Yukti Vadi Sangham here on Saturday.
The Chief Minister also presented the M.C. Joseph Award to literary critic and social activist M.K. Sanoo on the occasion.
A press release issued here by the Sangham cited Mr. Vijayan as saying that those who came to power swearing by a Constitution steeped in scientific thoughts were now spreading superstition and evil social practices.
The Chief Minister said people should fight such tendencies.
He also called upon rationalists to join hands with practical political movements to achieve their goal of delivering society from pain and evil. The rationalist movement should grow into a political movement fighting inequalities in society, he added.
He also recalled the exchange of ideas between Pavanan and Communist stalwart E.M. Sankaran Namboodiripad on rationalist thought and lifestyle and how they should be turned into instruments of social change.
Award committee chairman K.S. David presided over the function.