The polling for the Lok Sabha Elections starts tomorrow. One of the key issues that the progressive sections of society are raising is about the assault on reason and science in the last five years. Vocalising the pseudo-scientific beliefs about Indian mythologies has been a norm for the BJP. All kinds of ridiculous things from the pushpakvimaan to the cow exhaling oxygen and even absorbing radiation have been said in the name of "science". Even Prime Minister Modi made an extreme comment denying climate change. He said, "Climate has not changed. We have changed. Our habits have changed." Such an approach promotes unscientific and obscurantist ideas. While tall claims are made on the technological prowess of the country, the cuts in the funding of research grants and salaries of researchers and institutional budgetary allocations reveal something else.
In India, the funding for scientific research has remained stagnant at 0.8-0.9% of the GDP, while in most countries doing notable research, 3% of the GDP is spent on it.
Image Courtesy: Academics Against Modi
Development of scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform is one of the fundamental duties of the people of the Republic of India, according to the Constitution of India. Attempts to curb the spirit of scientific temper is an attack on the spirit of democracy itself. This election season, vote wisely.
