New Delhi (Agency): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge voiced strong criticism against the Indian government on Thursday, claiming that they are deliberately undermining scientific research in the country. He cited concerns about top research institutions not having received their allotted funds for the current financial year.
This criticism was triggered by a media report. The report alleged that several leading research institutions were still waiting for funding that should have been provided by central agencies back in April. Kharge responded to this news on Twitter, saying, “Modi Govt is hell-bent to kill scientific research in the country, thus hampering a nation’s progress.”
According to Kharge, these research institutions are in a precarious position, with scientists having to dip into their personal savings to sustain ongoing research. He further elaborated, “At a time when government has promised more funding by setting up a National Research Foundation (NRF), their purchases are on hold and project staff have not been paid for three months. Private funding is welcome, but the Government funding should not stop.”
He pointed out that the 2023 Budget has seen a 6.87 per cent cut in funds for scientific research. He also drew attention to nationwide protests staged by the scientific community across 27 cities in 2017. These protests were against meager funding, cuts in funding, and the propagation of pseudo-science by the Modi government.
Kharge claimed that in 2015, the Modi government had directed organizations involved in scientific research to begin “self-financing” their projects, thereby necessitating that they raise their own funds for research. He alleged, “Modi Government has time and again displayed its utter disdain and contempt against encouraging scientific temper.”
The Congress president highlighted a contrast in the government’s actions and words. “PM Modi might speak about – Jai Vigyaan, Jai anusandhan – but sadly, his government wishes to — parajay vigyaan, parajay anusandhan (defeat science, defeat research),” he noted.
In a similar vein, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram also criticised the government over this issue. Referencing the same media report, he revealed the dire situation wherein project staff have not received their salaries for three months and purchases are on hold. He shared a quote from senior scientist S C Lakhotia who stated that he has been paying his project staff out of his own pocket.
Chidambaram questioned why the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Biotechnology have been silent on this issue. He sarcastically suggested on Twitter, “Maybe the Government will coin a new slogan this week: minimum funds, maximum research.”
