Prof Dr Sharad Baviskar and Dr Mugdha Karnik were scheduled to be the speakers at the first event, but they are not part of the conference on Sunday. Over a fortnight after it was cancelled, the seventh Nastik Melava (Atheist conference) 2022, organised by the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Vicharmanch, will be held in Pune on Sunday, April 24.
Lawyer and human rights activist Asim Sarode, author Tukaram Sonawane and film director Sunil Sukathankar will be among the key speakers at the meet, which will be held at the S M Joshi Socialist Foundation Hall in Navi Peth between 10 am and 1.30 pm.
The conference was earlier scheduled on April 9 — which was also Ram Navami this year — but was cancelled. According to the organisers, Pune City Police had asked them to postpone the conference fearing that “organising such an event on the day of Ram Navami may cause law and order problems.”
The venue of the conference comes under the jurisdiction of the Vishrambag police station. On April 8, the organisers had given a letter to the Vishrambag police station, giving details about the conference.
But in reply, police gave a letter to members of the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Vicharmanch, Pune, asking them to postpone the conference.
However, the letter signed by Senior Police Inspector Sunil Mane of the Vishrambag police station made no mention of Ram Navami or potential law and order problems. The letter stated that the organisers have not clarified the thoughts and topics the speakers would take up during the conference. The letter also suggested that “instead of April 10, the conference should be organised on April 24, 2022.” The letter even asked the organisers to inform in advance, and in writing, what topics the speakers would address at the conference.
“We are set to hold the seventh edition of the Atheist conference on April 24. We expect a good response as atheists from different parts of the state are participating in it,” said Dr Nitin Hande, an organiser.
Prof Dr Sharad Baviskar and Dr Mugdha Karnik were scheduled to be the speakers at the first event, but they are not part of the conference on Sunday.
“Dr Karnik delivered her speech online after the Atheist conference was cancelled. Prof Baviskar was not available on April 24. So, we have invited Asim Sarode and Sunil Sukathankar,” said Hande.
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