Obada Safi
JMI,New Delhi
Looking back in past there are clear,very obvious and infamous examples of confrontation between belief and science.As the global world swiftly experiencing the charismatic development of modern science,the ill-conceived notion of religious belief and superstitions still found in human minds.
Could such a thing happen today? Indeed yes,it is going on,the scientific output from the prehistoric mythological times is more or less zero.Dr Harsh Vardhan,doctor by profession,Science&Technology Minister in Modi cabinet claimed at 105th Indian Science Congress held in Manipur this year that British cosmologist Stephen Hawking,whose untimely death continue to mourn by scientific innovative world,had “emphatically said on record that our Vedas might have a theory which is superior to Einstein’s theory of E=mc2.”Though he quoted from the website,Institute of Scientific Research on Vedas(I-SERVE),which has been copied from fake facebook account of Hawking.He further went on to saying,”We know that scientific temper is part of our Indian heritage as well as the guiding principles which have been enshrined in the Constitution.Each and every custom and ritual of Hindus is steeped in science.Infact,every modern Indian achievement is a continuation of our ancient India’s scientific achievement.”
In 2014,our Prime Minister NarendraModi proudly claimed that in prehistoric mythological times India had mastered genetic science and plastic surgery.To say the least,these claims itself demonises the scientific achievement of Hawking.
Humans are smart and curious,so regardless of belief or non-belief the scientific enterprise will quite naturally hit the human minds to think rationally.Science has no religion.It,actually,further helps to endorsethe veraciousness of religious scriptures and knowledge.The problem today with right-wing ideology is that there is on goingconflict,which refuses to accept the modern science,termed it corrupt and consider incompatible with their way of thinking.It is utter shame and obnoxious beliefs based on historical myths and tangible takeaways from unscientific things just to give an impression of cultural superiority and religious dominance over all other religion. But hope remains,open minded people quiet rightly feel science as the only source of enlightenment and making consistent effort to adopt the modern science in practical life.In their view,the only remedy for the stagnation of right wing ideology would be the mastery of modern science and the replacement of the irreligious worldview by the scientific prism.This is the where the battle lines need to be drawn today and solution of the ongoing conflict lies in one of the invaluable gift of modern technology-Internet.The door of the internet opened with vast pool of knowledge that had been previously inaccessible.
The framers of the Indian Constitution aware of the fact that unscientific minds may discourage the development of modern science and technological advancement by sending innuendoes to the seekers of experiment based observatory knowledge.Therefore,under Article 51A(h) of the constitution says, it’s the fundamental duty of every citizen to develop a scientific temper.
Moreover,theModi government should know that our country has unfortunately not produced any Nobel Prize winner in science in the last 87 years-largely because of lack of scientific environment in the country,of which scientific temper would be an important component.I am unable to understand how the Science&Technology minister and even Prime Minister are blatantly claiming scientific advances on the basis of unverified myths.Their views obviously contradict this constitutional requirements.
Finally,Iam aghast because the disturbing silence of science fraternity emboldening these views by not voicing their voice which is perplexing and issues went unnoticed in the media or deliberately blanked out by everyone.Why?
ObadaSafi,JMI,New Delhi
(obada.safi@gmail.com)
