Unscientific claims!, say academics to Science Cong chief

Bengaluru: Following the contentious claims made at the Indian Science Congress (ISC), a group of academics from top institutions of the country including the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), IIT Bombay, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Delhi, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics and others have drafted a letter to the authorities of the grand event.

Addressed to the General President of ISC, 37 academics stated in the letter that they were “deeply shocked and disturbed that false claims based on confusing episodes in mythology as science were made in the 106th ISC that too in scientific presentations made to the Children Science Congress”.

The letter states that such content in ISC undermines the long scientific tradition of the Congress which holds the legacy of being led by renowned scientists such as Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray, Sir Ram Nath Chopra and Prof P. Parija.

“Such claims tarnish the image of Indian science globally and also undermine the credibility of the genuine contributions of the great science personalities of yore, that too, in front of young and impressionable minds. Stories from our epics are poetic, enjoyable, rich in moral elements and in imagination, but are not scientifically constructed or validated,” the letter written to Dr Manoj Kumar Chakrabarti reads.

The unconventional claims made by some speakers including those made by Andhra University Vice-Chancellor Prof. G. Nageshwara Rao and independent researcher Dr K.J. Krishnan had drawn flak from various stakeholders from within and outside the country, on and off social and mainstream media. Claims that were termed ‘bizzare’ by many included those that asserted Kauravas were born with the help of stem cell and test tube baby technologies, Lord Brahma discovered the existence of dinosaurs on earth and mentioned it in the Vedas and Ravana owned 24 types of aircraft and airports in Lanka apart from the known ‘Pushpak Vimana’.

Members of Breakthrough Science Society, an organisation of researchers and scientists that aims to promote science, had held a silent protest outside IISc earlier this week to condemn the unscientific claims made at the ISC.  

“Such grand and outlandish claims made at a science congress in the absence of facts to back them up damage the rich heritage of science we have been following in our country,” a protesting member pointed out.