When I heard about Bharat Ratna awardee C N R Rao being at
pains issuing clarification after clarification regarding his remarks about
politicians, I was reminded of an old Pope joke. The Pontiff visits US and is
asked by a journalist whether he would visit a night club there. The Pope tries
to play safe and asks "Is there a night club in America". The next
day the top headline of all newspapers was "Pope asks 'Is there a night
club in America?'"
Similarly Rao was only lamenting the fact that the
government's funding towards science was measly and politicians were doing
'idiotic' things. But for TRP/predatory circulation driven media it was too
tempting not to 'spice' things up. So they went to town stating that
'Politicians are idiots: C N R Rao'. The noted scientist may have by now
realised the even the most unpredictable electrons and ions in particle
chemistry are far more easier to handle than mediamen.
As for funding on science research, Rao would realise how
blessed his community of scientists are if he bothers to take a look at what
the government and universities spend on humanities. The sole exception, of
course, was the alacrity with which it
goaded the Archeological survey of India to carry out a gold hunt at Unnao,
based on a Sadhu's dream.
And it not just the politicians, the bureaucrats are also
have a major role. They painstaking work day and night to ensure that there are
enough spokes to keep files moving at a glacial pace.
The scene at private sector is no better. The crony
capitalism driven industry captains have little patience for long gestation
activities like research, thanks to their 'sasta aur tikau' mindset.
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