Kamal Gopal

ON 1st of August, 1997, the reputed government-run Maulana Azad Medical College in New Delhi opened a new department. But medical research and highly developed technology did not extend their territory here - sorcery and superstition in their rudest form invaded the house of science. Unbelievable but fact: officially invited and praised by high ranking politicians, a 'Mantra Healing Centre' was established at the Medical College. Delhi's chief minister Sahib Singh Verma in his inauguration appreciated the 'ancient science of spiritual healing' which he wanted to be 'promoted world-wide' and made himself available for a demonstration of the miraculous healing powers of Janak Shahi, a person without any medical education, who claims to have the capacity to cure incurable diseases since his ninth year During the healing process, the healer would lay his hand on the body of the patient and chant Mantras (spells, magic words), which allegedly influence the body temperature of the patient in a specific way and by this produce the desired effect. It was also claimed that, if the patient was unable to come, the healer would put a mantra down on a piece of paper which the patient has to place on the affected part of his body to get it cured. If there is a problem in the throat, the patient has to chew the paper

Several politicians solemnised the inauguration, amongst them Delhi's health and education minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, who personally vouched the efficacy of the 'therapy' and soon turned out to be its most vocal promoter. The establishment of the 'Mantra Healing Centre', it was said, was 'a policy decision' of the Delhi Government.

The Delhi Government lies in the hands of the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), the strongly religion-bound Hindu party which, still democratic at its centre, at its edges smoothly passes into fundamentalism. All politicians involved in the 'Mantra Healing Centre' episode are members of the BJP.

India's central government on the other hand is formed by the 'United Front' (UF), a very heterogeneous association of national and regional parties from the liberal-to-left spectrum, which has constituted itself with the sole aim of avoiding a BJP government. The UF rules with the support of the Congress party - and under the permanent threat of its withdrawal. The 1996 elections have shown the BJP as the single strongest party in the country, but still short of votes for absolute majority. In May 1996 the BJP won the national government for a short span of thirteen days. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpaye, representing a liberal force in the party, succeeded in improving its image considerably during these days. But the BJP could not prove the necessary majority to remain in power and a newly formed 'United Front' of anti-BJP forces took over. This government, carefully balancing its multifarious inner contradictions and hanging on the silk thread of Congress party support, has now fallen. When new elections are held, there is a strong possibility that the BJP may muster a majority this time. Once in power, there is no guarantee that it will be the liberal Vajpayee-faction which decides the politics. This could well become the beginning of a dark phase in Indian history.

The opening of a 'Mantra Healing Centre' in a Medical College by the BJP Delhi city government - an unprecedented event in Indian history - was a test case. If this highly provocative step against the spirit of reason and science was tolerated by the public and precedent established, one major drain would have been opened for the dirty waters of superstition and dangerous obscurantism to flood the country.

In a meeting of the immediately-formed core group at the headquarters of the Indian Rationalist Association some of us expressed scepticism as to whether campaigning against this 'Mantra Healing Centre' would have any prospect of success since it was sponsored by a mighty and determined government. In a long and open discussion Sanal Edamaruku was able to convince and encourage all of us. Fast rationalist action in this situation was a question of intellectual survival, he explained.

The Indian Rationalist Association reacted fast. In a press statement Sanal Edamaruku condemned the opening of the 'Mantra Healing Centre' as ridiculing the spirit of inquiry and scientific temper, envisaged as fundamental duties in the Constitution of India and criticised the politicians involved as criminally irresponsible. He demanded the immediate closure of the centre. He also asked the BJP leadership to clarify whether they would start sorcery centres in the rural villages of India, instead of primary health centres, if they came to national power

The medical community in Delhi could be mobilised to co-operate in the public campaign. After the rationalist initiatives some doctors at the Maulana Azad Medical college who had watched the installation of the 'Mantra Healing Centre' with anger and confusion felt encouraged to express their protest publicly. The Indian Rationalist Association together with the Delhi Medical Association wrote a letter to the Council of Medical Research, the Indian apex research body in all fields of medicine, asking for intervention. The strong criticism meantime promoted the Delhi health minister and the BJP-chief minister of Rajastan to publicly defend the establishment of the 'Mantra Healing Centre'. The controversy kept snowballing through the media for several days. Sanal Edamaruku demanded the health minister's resignation because he had disqualified himself for the office that he held by trying to get public sanction for an age-old superstition: he had, in fact, misused the authority of his office. Sanal also demanded legal action against the Mantra healer on two grounds: firstly he was not a registered medical practitioner and secondly his 'therapy' was a 'magical remedy'. Magical remedies, defined as all claims of diagnosis or healing by miraculous powers, are punishable offences according to the 'Drugs and Medical Remedies Act' which has been part of the Indian criminal law since 1954. This act is a sharp but little known weapon. Up to now it has never been used to arrest one of the hosts of 'healers' who are exploiting the gullibility of the rural poor with various dubious 'therapies'. Now it came to public attention: the Indian Rationalist Association announced it would file a Public Interest Litigation on its case against the 'Mantra Healing Centre'.

Some threatening phone calls and curses by mail reached us during these days and forced us to work out certain arrangements for Sanal's personal security.

IRA's letter to BJP

On 20th August Sanal Edamaruku wrote a letter to the former BJP Prime Minister Vaipayee which, later released to the press, was widely quoted and noticed. He urged the BJP leader to correct his party's stand on the 'Mantra Healing Centre': 'BJP as the largest political party in the Indian Parliament is not expected to offend all those who value India's proud heritage or civilisation and culture by taking a position in support of superstition and sorcery, presenting them as a remnant of our great heritage', he wrote and called upon Vaipayee to 'come forward to highlight the spirit of reason, enlightenment and civilisation'. He asked him again 'to clarify whether our nation was to expect that 'Mantra Healing Centres' will be established in our rural villages instead of primary health centres, if the BJP comes to power'.

Vaipayee did not answer this question directly. But he obviously understood that the controversy had started seriously to affect the objectives of his party for the next election and that it had to end somehow.

Two days later the illuminated signboard with big red letters at the entrance of the 'Mantra Healing Centre' had vanished silently. Workers fixed an information board announcing that 'due to unavoidable circumstances' - inconvenience regretted - the healer would not be available at the Centre.

On 20th August the news broke on the front pages. After facing the wrath of the rationalists and the medical community for one month, Delhi's chief minister had bowed to public pressure and officially closed down the 'Mantra Healing Centre'. The Indian Rationalist Association congratulated the Maulana Azad Medical College authorities and the Delhi government for the closure. This victory was a breakthrough.

Discussed in editorials and celebrated in spontaneous gatherings in front of the Maulana Azad Medical College, it gave occasion to many people to express their appreciation and thanks for our work. Letters from people from all walks of life, amongst them many medical doctors and scientists, poured in. Some congratulations from abroad came by telefax. Prof. Paul Kurtz, Director of the Centre for Inquiry in Buffalo, USA, wrote in a cordial letter to Sanal: 'We are appreciative of your great efforts on behalf of rationalism. They stand out as a unique aspect of our cause and we are well aware of your signal contributions.'

Increased public awareness

The strong rationalist attack against the 'Mantra Healing Centre' did only force its dosure for now. The public debate which it sparked considerable educational effect. It created both public awareness encouragement against advancing obscurantism on one side as well as from a watchful and critical public on the other. The impact exceeded expectations.

Following the closure of the 'Mantra Healing Centre', the Indian Medical Association petitioned the Delhi High Court to initiate measuresi against medical practitioners without licence. The High Court in a fast reaction, asked the city government to give within three days details of its steps taken in this regard. Allegedly there were several thousand illegal medical practitioners in the capital, 430 of them already being identified. The Delhi police started an unprecedented drive to check legitimations and arrested immediately 83 'quacks': the drive continues.

The Delhi Health Ministry - the office of the very health minister who fought teeth and claws for Mantra healing - had studied a lesson about the Drugs and Magical Remedies Act. In half-page advertisements in several dailies it warns of misleading propaganda for cures of AIDS (which have been attacked by the Indian Rationalist Association for a long time) and informs that these cures were not approved or recommended by the government and not registered with the Indian Council of Medical Research and that 'the promotion of those drugs is a punishable offence i under the provisions of the Drugs and Magical Remedies Act'.

Most encouraging were reports about remarkable changes at the 'grass-root' level: an eyewitness informed us that the people in a small village in Orissa, encouraged by our campaign, have mustered courage to shun off a local Mantra healer