Saffronisation of science has no meaning: Harsh Vardhan

Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday slammed those alleging Indian science was being saffronised, saying he failed to understand what they meant.

"I think these are good slogans or things to talk about. I don't know what the meaning of saffronisation is or what is the meaning of science being saffronised.

"Science is what science is. You can't change definition of science. You can't change science. You can't change power and wisdom of ancient science," he told the media here on the sidelines of the Department of Science and Technology Conclave when asked to respond to accusations in wake of deliberations in the last couple of editions of the Indian Science Congress that Indian science was being saffronised.

The minister said discussions on contributions of icons to Indian science are misinterpreted as "saffronisation".

"Unfortunately, if I talk about the strength of what Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose said, you may say the minister is trying to saffronise.

"It has no meaning at all. Everyone in this country has realised there is nothing like saffronisation, it's all nationalism," he added.

The 104th edition of the Indian Science Congress drew flak for equating science with spirituality, while controversy erupted over the session on 'ancient sciences through Sanskrit' in the 102nd Indian Science Congress.

--IANS

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