4 years of Modi: Resurgence of olden myths at the cost modern science 

When the Prime Minister of the country makes a remark that ‘Ganesha is a proof of cosmetic surgery practised in ancient India’ or ‘birth of Karna is a proof of stem cell research in olden days’, is it an innocent mistake committed by a politician? In one interview to a TV channel, he proudly claimed “Mein zada padha likha nahin hoon (I am not well-educated).”

It could be a reason for him to depend on speechwriters, and when he commits a mistake, the unsuspecting prime minister, who simply reads the prepared speech, is blamed for it. This is what a section of media will have us believe, meaning: Don’t blame the PM, blame his speechwriters.

During the past four years, the legacy of Nehru has been under attack consistently. Therefore it is necessary to mention that Nehru, who propagated the idea of ‘scientific temper’, and was a politician and not a scientist, wrote his speeches even after becoming Prime Minister of the country. It was his vision, delivered to us through his writings and speeches, which transformed India into what our younger generations have inherited. It was Nehru’s respect for and commitment to ‘scientific temper’, which encouraged the scientific community to think and dream big and march towards the frontiers of science and experiment with cutting-edge technologies.

It was the political leadership of country, which led scientists to teach courses that were being taught in the best of the universities across the globe, expand the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) from two pathetic labs operating in a dilapidated building of Delhi University to 37 labs now located in various parts of the country, work on atomic energy installations and master the technology, create Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which contributes to international space research and build the IITs.

While assessing the contribution of this government during the last four years, it is necessary to look back at the past and see where we started after Independence. An abysmally poor country had many challenges: illiteracy, hungry stomachs to feed, clothless bodies and rampant unemployment, all of which competed for funds with science and technology.

The firm belief, that without developing science and technology, any investment to eradicate these social and economic evils will be like treating the symptoms and not the disease, constituted the basis for future investments. The political leadership created an environment and avenues wherein younger generations could aspire to seek, discuss and contribute to modern science with pride.

When Islamic science was being introduced in curriculum in Pakistan and best of their scientists were hounded out of the country, we as a nation, were proud to have the second largest scientific and technical manpower. Some at the time called it a false claim. But even the false claim favoured building ‘scientific temper’ in the country. The leaders did not make irresponsible statements in public meetings, allegedly written by illiterate scriptwriters, apparently groomed in Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) shakhas.

Are these innocent mistakes by a less-educated Prime Minister? Nay, my vote goes to those who believe that such statements are well thought-out and are a frontal attack on scientific temper. There are instructions given to ministers, members of Parliament, chief ministers, party members, the bureaucracy, the media and even members of the judiciary, that the era of spreading scientific temper is over. Do not follow the Constitution, which calls upon every citizen of the country to spread scientific temper, rationality and humanism.

Nowadays, anyone can attack scientific temper with impunity. Do not subscribe to rigour, precision, objectivity and strict discipline of science, make assertions based on myths, superstitions and fiction. Do not bother if the scientific community, within the country and abroad, is shocked or laugh at you.

The next question one should ask is if it has affected Indian science? Does it matter if some lunatic politician makes outrageous unscientific proclamations based on fictional stories and superstitions? Does it impede the progress of science if a senior minister says Newton’s laws were discovered in ancient India? Does it matter that the same minister goes ahead and says he doesn’t believe in the theory of evolution? Does it matter if a Chief Minister says that we invented TV, internet, satellite and satellite communication, rockets, missiles and nuclear warheads? Another minister says he pissed in a flower pot regularly and observed that the flowers bloomed and it is proof that natural manure is better than synthetic one. Some of you may brush these statements aside, saying what else could be expected from leaders who take guidance and blessings from godmen and godwomen, who in turn are in the business of peddling myths and superstitions.

The answers to these questions are not easy and remain hidden from the public gaze because of two reasons. First, it is difficult to establish a direct correlation between any adverse effect of such statements on science and technology and secondly, these political shifts cause long-term damage which normally are visible only after a period that makes it difficult to establish causal relationship.

However, astonishingly, the trends and data suggest that the impact of concerted attack on scientific temper during the past four years has had a direct impact on science in India. Evidence amply suggests that the nexus between godmen and political leadership was strengthened and assets and turnover of the top ten has increased manifold. For example, as per information available on many websites, assets and turnover of Baba Ramdev’s outfit have crossed ₹25,000 crore and ₹11,000 crore. But some may argue that the growth can be attributed to many other factors, and Ram Rahim has been put behind the bars during this period. Let us not forget that political leadership tried to save him till the last moment. It was the court which was adamant.

The reduction may not reflect in allocation of funds to science departments, but the letter issued by Director Journal of CSIR to the directors of 37 laboratories warning them that “CSIR is passing through financial emergency” does tell an alarming story.

Now, let us look at some more hard data. The number of scientific publications in reputed journals has reduced substantially and the rate of growth of scientific papers published has steadily and steeply dropped. It was 14.1 in 2015. It drastically fell down to 2.9 in 2016, and in 2017 reached -0.7, which is less than pre-2002 figures. As promised, this government is taking us back into ancient period.

The funds are being diverted to projects based on myths and superstitions like the Ram Setu, digging out mythical river Saraswati, finding out Sanjivani Buti, which are high on government’s priority list. IITs are being pressured to take up study on scientific validation and research on the concoction of cow urine, cow dung, cow milk, curds and ghee. IIT Kharagpur was forced to start a course on Vastushastra. Gradually, pseudo-science is replacing real science.

Finally, Hindu zealots, in the name of saving their religion, have killed three rationalists. How can any one forget the brutal murder of Govind Pansare, Kalburgi and Gauri Lankesh? The project ‘spread superstitions’ as opposed to ‘spread scientific temper’, initiated by the Prime Minister, has had its desired results just in four years. The voice of scientific reason and rationality is being silenced all over the country.

(The writer is a scientist and a renowned Urdu poet. The write-up first appeared in NH on Sunday).