Politics won't interfere with academics in Bengal: Harsh Vardhan

Union Minister of Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan on Saturday said the central government will not let politics interfere with the progress of academics and research in West Bengal.

"I don't know what happens here now. We will not allow it to happen... don't worry," Vardhan told the media here while responding to questions on politics penetrating the education and academic sector in Bengal.

"People bring in politics but science and technology should be dealt with an academic angle and that is what we do. There is no room for politics," Vardhan added.

"Everybody has to contribute, the states and the centre should work in collaboration," he said during his visit to the Bose Institute.

The minister also highlighted the need for coordination between research labs across the country.

"Scientists in Kolkata lab do not know what is going on in Chennai. The coordination is necessary so that there is no duplication of work and it can also guide groups of researchers to work together to attain a particular target," he said.

To "re-orient" the sector, Vardhan will hold "brainstorming" and "discussion" sessions with all Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) labs next month in New Delhi. He will also meet scientists from other top research institutes at the session.