Mumbai: Demand for fund echoes at silent science march

File pic of March for Science held last year

'I can't believe I have to march for science' was one of the many slogans on display at the March for Science, observed by a group of scientists, researchers, professors, teachers and students in city on Friday. Close to 250 people holding placards, with requests to respect science, rallied from D G Ruparel College to Shivaji Park. Though the rally, with messages like 'Science not Silence', 'Science matters', was held in silence, it had an impact on the passers-by, who took a pause to take a glance at the placards.

M C Arunan, scientist from Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, said, "The Royal College in London has a motto which states 'Nobody should be believed and nobody should be trusted.' This attitude and curiosity is seen lacking in the society today which is very dangerous for its development." Prof Nagarjuna G of the Homi Bhabha Centre said "The government doesn't seem to be worried about fund crunch in science research. Also, existing institutions lack faculty and infrastructural supports."

The marchers proposed five demands at the rally - promotion of scientific temper, as per Article 51A (h) of the Constitution; allocation of 10 per cent of the central and 30 per cent of the state budgets to education; using at least 3 per cent of the country's GDP to support scientific and technological research; ensuring education system and public policies are based on scientific evidence only.

250
No. of people who attended the rally

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