Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav attacked the government for allegedly pushing an “RSS-backed agenda” in the choice of papers presented at the Indian Science Congress, calling it “disgusting, ridiculous and dangerous.”
“The Indian Science Congress is held every year since 1914, but we had never seen such a drama-like situation at the Congress as we saw in Mysuru, where the main objective of the gathering to promote the cause of science was missing,” he said in a statement. “The RSS-backed agenda was seen at such a place. It is very disgusting, ridiculous and dangerous for the unity and integrity of this country as talking about one religion at such functions is nothing but to provoke the sentiments of other religions,” he added.
He noted that it was for the first time that people heard at the Congress about Lord Shiva as an environmentalist while someone presented a paper on the medical effects of blowing of a conch shell ( shankh ). At the 103rd Indian Science Congress that concluded on Thursday, a paper by the Chairman of the Madhya Pradesh Private University Regulatory Commission hailing Lord Shiva as the greatest environmentalist in the world was shortlisted for presentation. “The govternment should come out with a strong statement so that such things are not repeated.”
