I have been a student of Science & Technology for last five decades and a rationalist as well as an atheist and was involved with Dr. Kavoor of Sri Lanka who was spearheading rationalist movement in 1970s. I was also a Marxist for three decades which I discarded after seeing the reality while working in communist countries , specially in USSR.

To be an atheist one need not & should not discard his/her “Dharma”. Most of “secularist” & “intellectuals” in the name of appeasing some cause mix up “Religion” and “Dharma”. Hinduism is not a religion but “Dharma” – righteous path to life, one’s life style & duty etc. I follow “Hinduism” i.e Dharma and though eaten beet for 30 years it did not  affect my “Hinduism”.

There is absolutely no apology for these Godmen – which ever religion they belong. They are in all religion. While studying / working in Europe in 60’s / 70’s have seen enough superstition , especially among Catholics. Also seen wide spread hypocrisy among Muslims while working / visiting different Islamic countries. Alcohol drinking rampant , women discarding Borqua as soon as Plane take off towards west etc. etc. In your article you have repeatedly mentioned about “rationalist”. All names given belong to Hindu or Christian background, not a single example having Islamic background. Do you mean there are not rationalist in Islam. It speaks volume.

P. K. Film – same old cliché – Muslim boy Hindu girl. Why not once the other way ? Hindu god’s picture on  Cheeks – would he dare to use Prophet’s picture in place ? Throughout the picture Hindu bashing ; cleverly inserting few seconds scene of a Muslim girl and Church & Father . 

Where are the rationalist ? Where were they when M.F. Husain paints nude Saraswati in the name of art. Would anybody dare to paint Prophet or Mother Mary in such form ? Why the rationalist not shouting against Taliban / ISIS / Boko Haram and and brutality against humanity ?

One can bring many things. How far will the hypocrisy go .