Former World Bank chief Economist Kaushik Basu on Tuesday, January 8 commented that ‘scientist’s’ dismissal of Einstein’s theories at the Indian Science Congress 2019 is damaging India’s scientific credentials world-wide.
Basu referred to a BBC report titled ‘Indian scientists dismiss Einstein theories’. The report mentions ‘pseudo-scientific’ claims made by speakers at the conference such as Andhra University Vice-Chancellor G Nageshwar Rao saying that Ravana had 24 types of aircrafts, Dr. KJ Krishnan saying Newton and Einstein were wrong and that gravitational waves should be renamed ‘Narendra Modi Waves’.
Basu wrote that this was being reported world-wide and “far from helping India establishing it’s scientific credentials”, it was damaging the credentials.
The “scientist’s” dismissal of Einstein is being reported all over the world. Far from helping India establish its scientific credentials this is the kind of thing that damages the credentials.https://t.co/kanIzEIT4b
— Kaushik Basu (@kaushikcbasu) January 8, 2019
The absurd statements at the Indian Science Congress sparked nation-wide outrage among the members of the scientific community. Soumitro Banerjee, a physics professor and general secretary of non-profit Breakthrough Science Society (BSS) had told Reuters, “This is very harmful for the growth of scientific temper because these ideas are being propagated through the Science Congress which gives it a respectability.”
Also Read: Scientists Hold Protests Across Country Against Absurd Claims Made at Indian Science Congress