AGARTALA, December 23 (TIWN): The two day long State level workshop for resource person to combat misbelieves/superstitious and blind faiths was organized by Department of Science, Technology and Environment, Government of Tripura at Agartala Press Club, here today. The workshop will continue till December 24th.

Addressing in the workshop Secretary of DST and E, Government of Tripura, Surendra Kumar said that  the number of superstitions and blind beliefs in Tripura is very large as the society is made of people belonging to various religious, cultural, ethnic, linguistic and racial groups. There are many common superstitions in the people belonging to various groups. 

Certain superstitious beliefs have been in the society for such a long time that they have been taken for granted and are no more considered as evil. People leaving everything to God and remaining idle is a common culture in the society. Number of houses in our society left uninhabited because of the 'Vasthu' problem, is a clear indication. Superstitious beliefs are the biggest stumbling block in our path to a healthy society. There has been a tendency to blame the government and depend it for the removal of social evils. I believe the only hope lies in the youth, Surendra Kumar said.

Superstitions, irrationality and blind belief have had an upper hand in our society throughout the ages.  An example is the phenomenon of "witch hunting", which has claimed many innocent lives. Superstitions lead to the exploitation of common people by clever "Sadhus and Tantrics".  They also lead to caste bias and discrimination.  Youth practising superstitions will hinder social progress, he mentioned.

Our Constitution has stressed on the importance of developing scientific temperament. It is shameful that we   practice ugly superstitious  beliefs  and black magic in our life in spite  of  the  increase in literacy as well as advanced  research in every field of  medical, technological, astronomy and space, Surendra Kumar mentioned.

Dr. M.L. Roy, Principal Scientific Officer and MDS, TSCT and other dignities were present in the workshop.