Why Indians wouldn't dare march for science
On April 22, 2017, thousands of scientists, researchers, students, science advocates, among other people, marched for science in around 600 cities across the globe. The event, March for Science, was primarily organised to protest against science denialism and budget cuts unleashed by the Trump administration. But it became a rallying point in several countries where scientists are facing similar challenges.
Budget cuts, threats to close down research institutions, censorship of scientists and blocking of uncomfortable data are issues the scientific community is facing all over the world.
The April 22 event, thus, became a symbolic move for all those concerned to come out and express solidarity.
The Indian scientific community — both mainstream and otherwise — chose to stay away from this mega event despite its similar predicament. Unlike their American and European counterparts that lent full support to the event, scientific associations and academies in India remained mum.
The "March for Science" grew into a movement after President Trump’s inauguration in January 2017. Having been a climate denier — someone who does not believe that climate change is taking place — Trump appointed a climate sceptic to head the energy department.
Massive budget cuts were announced for the Environment Protection Agency and the National Institutes of Health, and the US decided to rollback its commitments under global climate treaties.
It’s not as if the scientific community in India is not concerned with such issues or is not facing the problem of inadequate support for scientific research. Scientists keep expressing their views — sometimes strong ones — in private conversations and hint at their displeasure in closed door meetings.
Occasionally, some retired scientists air their views about the status of research, funding and science education in scientific journals. Concerns about delays in regulatory approval of large projects like the underground neutrino laboratory figure in science congress sessions.
Beyond this, there is no effort to advocate the cause of science with politicians, policymakers, governments and the society. The scientific community should have seized the opportunity and the template provided by "March for Science" to do this.
Efforts like the Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha, undertaken in 1987, were designed more to demystify science and generate interest in science.
It had a great impact on young minds, and was seen as a way of connecting science with society. "March for Science" is more of a protest against official assault on science, to elicit support from the society.
Given the political undertone of being anti-Trump, some scientists have dubbed "March of Science" as a move that positions scientists as yet another pressure group, and perhaps gives an impression that science is Left-wing. One can only speculate that such perception may have kept Indian scientists away from the march.
A more probable, generic reason is the fact that most scientific and academic institutions in India are officially controlled and have little autonomy. This keeps scientists and researchers away from taking to streets, even if it is for their own sake.
(Courtesy Mail Today.)