Hitting out at naysayers and activist community, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh inaugurating the centenary session of the Indian Science Congress (ISC) stressed the need for the development of a scientific temper in order to reap the benefits of modern science and to “make up for lost time”.
An obviously exasperated Singh stressed that, “Complex issues, be they genetically modified food or nuclear energy or exploration of outer space, cannot be settled by faith, emotion and fear but by structured debate, analysis and enlightenment.”
“A scientific approach and understanding of these issues are therefore as vital as our core scientific capabilities,” the Prime Minister emphasised.
Unveiling India’s new Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP) document, the Prime Minister presented its first copy to the President Pranab Mukherjee who also called upon the scientific community to work for promotion of a scientific culture in India.
While Dr Singh recalled the contribution of Bengal’s scientific stalwarts including C.V. Raman, S.N. Bose, Jagdish Chandra Bose and Meghnad Saha, chief minister Mamata Banerjee in a more emotionally charged speech applauded Rabindranath Tagore because he possessed a vision “for scientific action” and also said Kolkata can “produce the brain to be able to work (for everything as varied as) from Nasa to bhasa”.
Manmohan Singh in his detailed address believed a scientific temper could be developed through popularising science through the “Inspire” program and by linking homes, workplaces and communities through a variety of communication networks including high-speed optical fibre.