‘Spread humanity, show kindness to build a health society,

President of the fifth State-Level Scientific Conference Vishwaradhya Satyampet on Monday laid stress on the importance of spreading humanity, brotherhood and kindness and defeating communal hatred, religion and caste-based clashes to build a healthy society based on the Constitution and protect democracy.

He was delivering his presidential speech on the second day of the conference being organized here by the Karnataka State Scientific Research Council, Bengaluru, the Department of Science and Technology, Manava Bandhutva Vedike and other organizations.

The ISRO, the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, the Indian Air Force, Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum, Mobile Planetarium, K. Steps, National Aeronautical Laboratory, DRDO and CFTRI Mysore have extended coordination for the conference.

He said that people should join hands together to eradicate superstition and blind belief in society. “If we developed scientific thoughts and followed the principles of the Buddha, Basava, Ambedkar, Savitribai Pule, Periyar and others, who fought caste discrimination, it will become much easier to building a healthy society based on the Constitution and uphold its values,” he said.

He sharply targeted the “ruling politicians” for dividing people based on caste and religion and forcing them to live under a serious threat.

“Under the present circumstances, Brahmarakshasas are encouraging divisive forces to dominate the common people in the name of caste and religion. I don’t know how many will be sacrificed to such Brahmarakshasas. Therefore, we must defeat them by progressive thoughts to ensure that the message of Rashtrakavi Kuvempu, Sarvajanangada Shantiya Tota, is widely followed,” he said.

Mr. Satyampet said that the State government might have introduced the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill 2025 in a hurry.

He said that “other political parties may send the progressive thinkers behind bars by misusing the law if they openly criticise the government and its caste-based politics. Therefore, the State should re-examine its decision to introduce such a law.”

Minister for Public Works Satish Jarkiholi has said that despite technical development, people still believe in superstition and have blind beliefs.

“The Karnataka State Scientific Research Council has been organising such conferences in the State to create awareness among the public about superstition and other such activities. I and Minister Sharanbasappa Darshanapur will put in sincere efforts to reserve grants for the council to extend support with financial aid,” he said.

Mr. Jarkiholi said that the country essentially required more people who will take the principles of social reformers like the Buddha, Basava, Ambedkar and Savitribai Pule to each house to fight superstition.

He requested the organisers to conduct the next State-level conference in Belagavi.

Earlier, Minister for Small Scale Industries Sharanabasappa Darshanapur, who inaugurated the second day events of the conference and science exhibition, extended his support to the event and appealed to the public to join hands to develop humanity.

The former Superintendent of Police S.K. Umesh cautioned against extortion and blind beliefs in the name of God and appealed to people to follow scientific thinking.

In his presidential address, Shantaveera Gurumurugharajendra Swamiji of Khasmutt said that this conference has been organized with an aim to creating awareness about scientific thinking.

Mr. Satyampet and other achievers in different fields of life were felicitated, while six books written by Hulikal Natraj were released during the event.

MLA Channareddy Patil Tunnur, Sharanagouda Kandkur, Raja Venugopal Naik and others were present.