Editor,
What better can be expected in a nation where none other than the prime minister boldly claims in all possible forum (including scientific seminars) that Ganesh and Karna, respectively, bear proof of ‘plastic surgery’ and ‘stem cell technology’ that were practiced in ‘scientifically progressive’ ancient India.
Taking a cue from the dispensation in power, other high profile ‘educated’ folks also follow suit, with Lord Rama’s arrows being ‘missiles’ and Kuber’s flying chariot being the forefather of aeroplanes. Charles Darwin was wrong as there had been no evolution, and peahens reproduce without sex (rather by drinking tears of peacocks). Thanks to a director of IIT Mandi, we have been enlightened that dams burst in Himachal Pradesh due to curse of god for the sin of the non-vegetarian brigade who consume fish meat and eggs.
Jawaharlal Nehru had said, “Politics and religion are obsolete. The time has come for science and spirituality.”
But when mythology, superstition, epics, religion and politics are allowed to dominate over science and spirituality, that time is bound to arrive when the Nehru will be made absolutely obsolete, along with his ‘modern temples’, scientific temperament, secularism and liberal mindset of encouraging criticism.
What a blatant, suicidal mockery of Article 51A of the Indian Constitution, which holds aloft the flag of ‘scientific temper and spirit of inquiry’ for the citizens of the nation!
Kajal Chatterjee,
D-2/403,
Peerless Nagar, Kolkata