Prime Minister Narendra Modi came under a severe attack from civil society as scientists, filmmakers, artists, writers and historians joined hands in censuring the government for its ‘failure to address the rising intolerance and inability to maintain peace in society.’
Eminent scientist and founder director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, P.M. Bhargava told The Hindu on Thursday that he would soon be returning the Padma Bhushan awarded to him in 1986. “At no time in our history has the situation been as bad as it is now,” Mr. Bhargava said.
Over 250 social scientists, historians and political scientists added heft to the protests, when in a signed statement, they expressed shock at Prime Minister Modi’s ‘late response’ to the killings and lynching and his ‘victim-blaming’ statement. The signatories, including historian Romila Thapar, wrote that Mr. Modi’s statement that Hindus and Muslims should not fight each other but should fight poverty instead puts the onus for peace and fighting poverty on civil society and communities and absolves the state of any responsibility for both.
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The Modi regime faced flak from eminent scientist P.M. Bhargava for its ‘failure to nurture and promote scientific temper and basic research.’
“The decision to cut budgetary support to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, the premier R&D organisation, by half and directing the institute to earn its money effectively means the government will give no money to fund basic research. The move to ask industry to fund basic research is shocking as India has the third largest scientific manpower in the world.”
Mr. Bhargava also criticised the presence of the RSS at a function hosted by the CSIR. “The BJP is the political front of the RSS which is running institutes of learning,” he said.
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Ten filmmakers, in a letter addressed to President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urged them to protect the freedom of expression of each citizen.
Expressing solidarity with filmmakers, Anurag Kashyap said: “The filmmakers who returned the awards are being called fascists. The very definition of fascism is being turned upside down; any civil society or country that doesn’t regard its culture or arts well is doomed. Whatever you think the trolls will laugh at it. A lot of people are concerned about the growing intolerance but the minute you say something they begin talking about 1984, ’89, ’93. The everyday intolerance amongst people is growing. What are scarier are these reverse accusations.”
Fifty-three historians and academics, in a signed statement of protest, cited the recent attacks on rationalists and the killings of individuals on the suspicion that they had consumed beef. “Differences of opinion are being sought to be settled through physical violence. Arguments are met not with counter-arguments but with bullets,” read the statement signed by Professors Romila Thapar, Irfan Habib, M.G.S. Narayanan, K.N. Panikkar and D.N. Jha among others.
The group under the collective of SAHMAT alleged that instead of addressing the problem, the Prime Minister had chosen to speak only about general poverty.
“When writer after writer is returning their award of recognition in protest, no comment is made about the conditions that caused the protest; instead the ministers call it a paper revolution and advise the writers to stop writing. This is as good as saying intellectuals will be silenced if they protest,” the statement said.
Prof. Mridula Mukherjee of JNU told The Hindu that attempts were being made to doctor history to enforce a particular ideology.
The group also flayed the trend to ban books and expunge statements of history and urged the government to ensure an atmosphere conducive to free and fearless expression, security for all sections.