GULBARGA: Karnataka Dalita Sangharsha Samiti (DSS) and Karnataka State Dalit Vidyarthi Okkoota (DSF) have decided to launch an agitation against the decision of the Centre to introduce astrology in the curriculum of universities.

Speaking to mediapersons here on Thursday, DSS State organising convenor DG Sagar, divisional convenor Malleshi Sajjan, district convenor Arjun Bhadre and DSF district convenor Suresh Hadimani alleged that the Union Human Resource Development Minister Murali Manohar Joshi and UGC Chairman Hari Goutam were bent upon taking the country to the primitive era and were misleading the people on the issue.

The DSS would launch Statewide dharnas before the offices of the Deputy Director of Public Instructions (DDPIs) in all the districts on June 28 and hold a seminar in Bangalore on the same day.

Stating that astrology was a belief and not a science Sagar charged the Centre with imposing a personal and irrational belief on the entire nation through education. He alleged that the move to introduce astrology in universities was against the spirit of the Constitution which encouraged inculcation of scientific temperament.

He contended that the scientists all over the world had held that astrology was neither a science nor a shastra as being made out by certain sections. ‘‘People are free to believe in anything. It is their personal matter. The irrational and unscientific beliefs cannot become an official instrument’’ Sagar said.

Astrological beliefs would weaken a person mentally and curb his scientific thinking capacity. ‘‘Introduction of astrology in curriculum will further spoil the health of Indian society. It should be given up forthwith’’ Sagar demanded.

The DSS leader flayed the authorities of Kuvempu University for their decision to introduce astrology there. ‘‘It is a grave insult to the great poet Kuvempu who had called upon the people to come out of temples, mosques and churches and lead society with a torch of science’’ Sagar recalled.