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The annual Indian Science Congress became a moment of shame for Indians when few scientists lashed out against Einstein and Newton and talked about how Hindu scriptures had many many discoveries centuries ago.
The event has caused a frenzy in the Indian scientific community and has resulted in many speaking out against irrational claims. The Indian Scientific Congress Association expressed “serious concern” at the remarks.
The 106th Indian Science Congress started from 3rd Jan and lasted till 7th Jan and was inaugurated by PM Modi. Historically, it saw scientists, researchers and Nobel laureates gather together but has seen religious theories gain greater traction over the past few years. But experts were forced to call the comments ludicrous.
The congress saw the head of southern Indian university claiming that stem cell research was discovered in subcontinent thousands of years ago and he even cited Hindu scriptures as his sources.
G Nageshwar Rao, vice chancellor of Andhra University, read a story from Mahabharata and justified it by claiming that it was access to stem cell technology that made the story a reality. “We had 100 Kauravas from one mother because of stem cell and test tube technology,” said Rao.
He later talked about how Ramayana had 24 aircrafts and a dense network of landing strips in modern-day Sri-lanka.
The inorganic chemistry professor brought out some smiles when he said “Hindu Lord Vishnu used guided missiles known as ‘Vishnu Chakra’ and chased moving targets,”
Many were particularly upset when a scientist from a university in Tamil Nadu said that Einstein and Newton were both wrong and gravitational waves should be renamed “Narendra Modi Waves”.
“We don’t subscribe to their views and distance ourselves from their comments. This is unfortunate,” said Premendu P Mathur, general secretary of Indian Scientific Congress Association. “There is a serious concern about such kind of utterances by responsible people.”
The congress that should have been a scientific highlight has unfortunately turned into controversy and embarrassment. Let’s hope that this was the last time something like this happened.
