Need to include in school texts scientists’ contributions in India’s freedom struggle: Dattatreya Hosabale

PTI, Aug 3, 2021, 8:23 AM IST

New Delhi: RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said that it is important to include in school texts the contributions made by scientists in the Indian freedom struggle and present before the country as well as the world India’s scientific history and traditions.

Addressing a webinar as part of ‘Swatantrata Ka Amrut Mahotsav’ to commemorate the 75th anniversary of India’s independence, the senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader rued that people are not aware of the contributions made by scientists in the Indian freedom struggle.

People think scientists are restricted to laboratories and they have no link to the outside world, which is untrue, he said.

Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh, who also participated in the event, described Mahatma Gandhi as one of the greatest scientific strategists who used non-violence and satyagraha ”as a silent biological warfare against the colonial rulers.” He also said that one of the most remarkable examples of scientific temper around us today is none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself.

After assuming the charge as prime minister in May 2014, a proposal was submitted to Modi that the Katra-Vaishnovdevi station was ready but was yet to be dedicated to the people, Singh said.

”As soon as his helicopter landed, the first thing he said was that there was good sunshine there. There should be a solar plant there. The scientists around immediately picked up the cue and that was the first railway station in the country to be totally fed with solar power,” the minister added.

Similarly, six years ago, the government did another experiment, he said.

”ISRO and the Department of Space had a meeting with every department and ministry to see where all space technology can be used,” Singh added.

Hosabale said the people of the country are not well aware of its scientific history and traditions and so is the world. Along with the contributions of Indian scientists in the Indian freedom struggle, there should be an attempt to present it before the country and the world.

”What were the contributions of Indians in different fields of science like chemistry, botany, engineering and technology and how did people work for it during the struggle for independence.

”India’s knowledge is not inferior to anyone in the world and how successful it was in establishing it. It is important to include this in our textbooks, education system,” Hosabale said.

He added that Vijnana Bharati, a scientific body with links to the RSS, is already working on it and it needs to be taken forward.

The programme was organised by Vijnana Bharati in collaboration with Vigyan Prasar and CSIR-NIScPR.

The event was organised on the 160th birth anniversary of one of India’s stalwart scientists, Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray.

The theme of the year-long programme is ‘Indian Independence Movement and Science’, which seeks to bring spotlight on the contributions made by Indian scientists in the country’s struggle for freedom by undertaking research, promoting science education.

Minister Singh said science not only contributed to the freedom struggle but also defined various contours of the Independence movement.

One of the greatest scientific strategists was none other than Mahatma Gandhi himself. He was a remarkable practitioner of scientific strategies, Singh said.

”When we talk of non-violence and satyagraha, then non-violence and satyagraha can also be interpreted as a silent biological warfare against the colonial rulers who were trying to use the ammunition of violence to suppress the colony’s subjects.

”How cleverly Mahatma Gandhi used non-violence as a scientific tool, as a biological warfare, which ultimately ended in huge success,” Singh said.

The minister said Gandhiji would sit on fast and not consume food. This ”scientific resistance” proved to be an ”effective weapon against the entire ammunition the Britishers had at their command”, he said.

Singh said the use of khadi and salt satyagraha were motivated by scientific realisation.