Update on RichardDawkins.net: Sanal Edamaruku under attack for exposing Catholic "miracle"



Update 14 April from e-mail to Richard Dawkins


"Today, I turn to you in an extraordinary situation. Agents of the Catholic Church have filed an array of "Blasphemy cases" (u/s 295 of Indian Penal Code) against me as I exposed the "miracle" of the drippling Jesus of Mumbai and triumphing in a TV debate over local church leaders and the Bishop. It's a stage managed game, designed to harass and to silence me.


I may be arrested any moment. Complaints against me are registered in several police stations in Mumbai and the Mumbai police has already announced that they want to arrest me. I have been clearly exercising my Fundamental Duty enshrined in the Indian Constitution to develop scientific temper, spirit of inquiry, reform and humanism.


I request you as a reputed champion of reason and freedom of expression to lend us moral support in our fight. I invite you to formally join the "Sanal Edamaruku Defence Committee" that has be convened by the respected Human Rights lawyer and activist N D Pancholi at Delhi. 

Best Regards,

Sanal

Sanal Edamaruku Defence Committee


Rationalist International has formed a Sanal Edamaruku Defence Committe. The convener is the well known Human Rights Lawyer and activist Mr. N.D.Pancholi. If you wish to support us now, you can do it in two ways.


Spread the videos and the information about the cases where ever you can.


Support the Defence Fund with a donation. [Click here]


As he exposed the “miracle” of the drippling Jesus in Mumbai, revengeful Catholic Church leaders vow to harass Sanal Edamaruku with an array of blasphemy cases. The harassment has started. Sanal can be arrested any moment.

“It is nothing new that the Catholic bishops try to sentence their opponents to the stake when they run out of arguments. Giordano Bruno’s is a case in point. But try as they may, they cannot stop me to stand for reason, science and historic facts. And I am not alone. Freedom of expression is under attack and we are going to defend it!”
-Sanal Edamaruku

Exposing the “miracle”

On 10th March, Sanal Edamaruku flew to Mumbai. The TV channel TV-9 had invited him to investigate a “miracle” that caused local excitement. He went with the TV team to Irla in Vile Parle to inspect the crucifix standing there in front of the Church of Our Lady of Velankanni. This crucifix had become the centre of attraction for an ever growing crowd of believers coming from far and wide. The news of the miracle spread like wild fire. For some days, there were little droplets of water trickling from Jesus’ feet. Hundreds of people came every day to pray and collect some of the “holy water” in bottles and vessels. Irla was about to become a pilgrimage centre. But Sanal Edamaruku spoilt this prospect. Within minutes, he clearly identified the source of the water (a drainage near a washing room) and the mechanism how it reached Jesus feet (capillary action). The local church leaders, present during his investigation, were far from pleased. See the investigation in detail on YouTube.