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“The United Nations is unfortunately an international body that normalises communalism,” said esSENSE Global founder Ravichandran C, reaffirming his stance that the war in Gaza does not constitute a genocide. He made the statement at the atheist group’s annual conference Litmus 2025 held in Kerala’s Ernakulam on Sunday, October 19.
Ravichandran had earlier made a similar statement about the Israel-Palestine conflict, dismissing the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory report findings, which termed Israel’s actions in Gaza a genocide. When Ravichandran repeated the same at Litmus, the audience received it with applause, making evident the group’s support of Israel.
Hundreds gathered at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Ernakulam to attend the event, dubbed the ‘world’s largest atheist conference’. It included debates and discussions on science, faith, ‘blasphemy’, Gaza, the Partition Horror Remembrance Day, and a variety of other topics. More than 30 speakers addressed the gathering across 14 sessions. The taglines of this year’s conference were ‘Let evidence lead’ and ‘Unapologetically atheist’.
During a session titled ‘Genocide in Gaza?’ Ravichandran debated political commentator advocate BN Haskar over the Israel-Palestine conflict. Arguing that what is happening in Gaza is not a genocide, he challenged Haskar to prove it with ‘evidence’.
In response, Haskar cited the number of deaths in Palestine to state that it is indeed a genocide. “When we realise that between 65,000 and 70,000 people, including 17,000 to 20,000 children, were killed in a location measuring 40 km in length and 10 km in width, no one can deny that it is a genocide. Anyone who disagrees can only be looked upon with fear,” he said. He also cited the UN report that classified the events as genocide.
Ravichandran then accused the UN of acting as a communal body, and said, “If a notion that the moon was split in two and then glued together is presented in the parliament or a panchayat, it may not be accepted. But it could be accepted [in the UN]. It is unfortunately an international body that normalises communalism. ”
Another esSENSE Global member, Dr Arif Hussain Theruvath, who received the group’s Free Thinker of the Year award, thanked the audience and esSENSE Global for standing with Israel and exposing the pro-Palestinians. “It was not easy to stand for the right of Israel, for their self-determination, and to expose all the Hamas supporters who ignore the horrors of October 7, and don’t even mention the names of all those hostages getting murdered in Gaza. But the only thing that made me stand firm was to stand by the evidence. It is a simple thing, to stand by reason and evidence,” he said.
He continued, “Save Palestine from Hamas, and save the world from violent jihadi Islamism. Save Nigeria, Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and all those people around us suffering these atrocities.”
Speaking to TNM, Anupama Radhakrishnan, one of the organisers of the event, said the claims of esSENSE are “backed up by facts”. “We do not support Israel or Palestine; instead, we present facts, and the listeners can choose what they feel is right. We never stick to a popular opinion,” she said. However, she said that none of the members in the group had a different opinion. “In case of a different opinion, we discuss it democratically. Our tagline is ‘Let evidence lead’. All the people around us know that,” she said.
Taslima Nasrin honoured
The event also honoured exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin by presenting her with a lifetime achievement award. “Until my last breath, I will fight against fundamentalism, extremism, and intolerance. I will fight for freedom, for equality, for human dignity,” she said.
The author said that she has criticised all religions and all kinds of patriarchal traditions, cultures, and customs. “I have defended Muslims whenever they were oppressed, just as I defend the Hindus oppressed in Bangladesh, or Christians oppressed in Pakistan. To me, religious identity is irrelevant. Human beings may believe or not believe, but no one should be oppressed for their belief or non-belief,” she said.
Criticising Islam, Taslima Nasrin said, “Some people still like to claim that Islam is a religion of peace. But since my childhood, I have witnessed quite the opposite.” She explained how it was a Bengali translation of the Quran that made her an atheist. “One day, I discovered the Bengali translation of the Quran. I read every word of that so-called holy book. And guess what, I became an atheist,” she said, adding, “I did not have to read any book on atheism, secularism, or humanism to become an atheist. I still believe that for Muslims, the Quran is the best book to inspire atheism.”
Expressing her gratitude towards atheists, she said, “I have no home. I am a Bengali writer, but I have no place in Bengal; Bangladesh exiled me. I have a home — it is the heart of every rationalist, the heart of every free thinker, the heart of every secularist.”
Taslima Nasrin received the award from TJ Joseph, a former college lecturer whose right hand was severed in 2010 by members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) for allegedly insulting Prophet Mohammed in a test he set. After presenting the award to her, Joseph said Taslima Nasrin is a star in the world of free thinkers. “I am overjoyed to give the award to Taslima Nasrin with my hand, which was once cut and later stitched back together. It was only after half my life had passed that I had to fear being accused of blasphemy. But she was faced with that from a very young age, yet she still perseveres,” he said.
Meanwhile, the programme was temporarily halted after a delegate brought a gun to the event. Police detained the man from Udayamperoor, who according to them, carried the licensed firearm for self protection.