Around 150 scientists have appealed to voters to “reject the ones who lynch or assault people” and vote against “inequality, intimidation, discrimination, and unreason.” Under the aegis of the Indian Cultural Forum, the appeal has been made by an association of academics, activists, lawyers and scientists. Many scientists from public and private institutions who have signed under this appeal are from the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER), the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Ashoka University, the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), and the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT).
The online petition guides that everyone has to reject those who lynch or assault people, those who discriminate against people because of religion, caste, gender, language or region. People should also reject those who encourage such practices. The atmosphere should not prevail in which scientists, activists and rationalists are hounded, harassed, intimidated, censored, jailed, or worse, murdered, and it is not the future our country deserves.
It has been appealed that all citizens to vote wisely, weighing arguments, evidence critically and citizens to remember our constitutional commitment to scientific temper.
Satyajit Rath, adjunct Professor, IISER-Pune, and Rahul Roy, ISI-New Delhi have drafted the document.
(Image Courtesy: The Hindu)