Superstitions becoming widespread in society, says Pinarayi

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan emphasizes the importance of scientific knowledge and technological advancement for sustainable growth and development.

Superstitions stamped out years ago during the reformation movement are once again becoming widespread in society, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said here on Saturday.

The Chief Minister was addressing professionals from the science and technology sector at Professional Connect 2025, a programme organised as part of the fourth anniversary of the government. He underscored the need to nurture scientific temperament and propagate scientific and technological knowhow for sustainable growth and development founded on social justice.

“We live in times when superstitions that were wiped out under the leadership of social reformers are returning and becoming widespread,” he said, adding that many national grants that supported research and higher education have now been either removed or reduced.

Mr. Vijayan said the Kerala government has instituted the Kairali Research Prize and the Chief Minister’s Postdoctoral Fellowship for promoting research in addition to starting centres of excellence in the higher education sector and translational labs in universities. Kerala is on the path of growth with digital science parks and AI hubs. The State is spending ₹600 crore on three digital science parks, he said.

Science and technology are not separate from the lives of humans, Mr. Vijayan said, reiterating his government’s plans for creating a knowledge-based society.

K.P. Sudheer, Executive Vice President, Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) and State Planning Board vice chairman V.K. Ramachandran and KSCSTE member secretary A. Sabu also spoke.