How chasm of political opinion, leads us toward dichotomy in friendships.

“Wide differences of opinion in matters of religious, political, and social belief must exist if conscience and intellect alike are not to be stunted, if there is to be room for healthy growth.” Yesterday, while internet surfing, I read these great lines of 26^th USA president, ‘THEODORE ROOSEVELT’, and mean while one anecdote flashed through my mind.

An intelligent, beautiful, coeval girl, ‘PRASU’ was my two months senior colleague. We weren’t the best of friends, but certainly good colleagues, during my two years of professional Software Engineer tenure at Hyderabad, July 2014-June 2016. From fresher’s day to farewell, we both were working in same scrum team unit, with one or another release. Whenever one of us run-down, fell sick, plan any solo trip, or native visit, the other partner automatically steps in as back-up. We don’t share any work rivalry but all synergy. Our tie consists of cordial, amiable, and friendship. We use to share lunch boxes, party selfies, algorithmic ideas, Bengali/Telgu events, and social thoughts.

And then things changed after first six months. It was somewhere around, first week of January, 2015. We were at the fourth floor cafeteria, sipping coffee and breaking biscuits, all of a sudden one of our colleagues ‘Venkat’ threw a topic of “NITI-Aayog versus Planning-Commission” from his iPhone news app. During group discussion, we both realized we had difference of opinion.

‘Isn’t a self-aggrandizer and history manipulator man, we have as a PM?‘ she taunted me.

‘You’re bit harsh on Indian PM. What’s your problem?’ I replied.

‘Can’t you see this foolish plan of scrapping Planning-Commission?’

‘Please. He has worked 12 years as Chief Minister. This gentleman knows all those difficulties and impacts, aroused due to dissimilar ruling government in centre and states. Isn’t this government is given mandate by public to bring some reforms, to break policy paralysis? He must have envisaged some long term vision before changing this Non-cooperative-federalism, One-size-fit-all set up to new Think-tank model.’

‘C’mon, Mr. Chatterjee! Stop hallucinating. It’s nothing less than a cosmetic change of substituting name or we can say it as mirage. Time will answer you.’

Situation turned worse over the next six months as intolerance debate heated up. Come November 2015, from farce Award-Wapsi to infamous Aamir Khan Statement, it was now evident that we had become clear adversaries. Not to mention, she was diehard fan of Aamir Sir, well so am I, but unfortunately it was my incapacity that I failed to sell her my views, that those Aamir Khan statements were distorted in actual meaning. Hind side it’s been clear that all intolerance debate was nothing but a meticulous planned hyped propaganda to win Bihar assembly election.

Anyway, coming back to my story, by now we started confronting each other on various social media platforms- Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, as political debates are not encouraged inside office premises. Clearly our long political raving and scuffle drove us towards frenemy and our platonic friendship choked off.

Well, Prasu wasn’t first. I had lost classmates and friends from School, Graduation College, Hyderabad Central University campus, Social circle, Family-relatives. My counter-strokes for the hate speeches from other side lead all this. I realized my formal and informal friend circle has enlarged as well, but was more of synchronous thought subscribers. Being a data pattern expert, I also analyzed most people has same kind of friend circle pattern, and same case with intellectuals/media-anchors follower’s lists.

I realized the enthusiasm and interest of young blood in politics has been increased over the time. Of course it’s a good sign for vibrant democracy, but problem lies with hate action-reaction blood-boiling youths. While exuberantly criticizing we often cross our limits, we lost our civil sense, we get personal, we annoy others and make noise to prove points, do character assassination, kick threats, doubt others knowledge, and so on so forth.

I’d studied the class seven NCERT textbook long back in school days, but I understood the value of secret adult franchise, designed by our constituent assembly, now. But back then in 1940s, there wasn’t any concept of social media.

To tackle this very challenging situation of presenting your views to someone you value, I reckon probably clever idea is, to be humble and pitch it with low tone. Honoring others with loser, chamcha, bhakt, slave, tags are irrational. Show case facts, figures, evidences and develop your thesis on them. Its sin and crime to bring communal, social and personal background to hammer your victory in debates. Sprinkle pocket veto if it’s not necessary to respond. Why invest energy, time and resources for waste? Patience is key.

The latest fashion is to bash people via tagging them in your statement in social networking sites. Alas! I find it totally immature. Yes, polite suggestions are fine, but not inviting forceful banters.

My suggestion will be, if it’s a colleague or friends, don’t skip on greeting each other in office, elevators, colleges, veranda, cafeterias, gym or badminton court. Your political disagreement shouldn’t ruin your career or social life.

It’s okay to have political differences with friends but then send them wishes and greetings on their promotions, birthdays, anniversaries and festivals. If you notice they fallen ill, poke them, help them. Love and care is humanity. We shouldn’t stop it, just because of chasm of opinion. Defeat that Dichotomy. Actually, that’s what Prasu did.

‘Hi Aadi, are you well?’ She phoned me.

‘Yes, I am. Why do you ask so?  Everything fine?’ I enquired.

‘I thought you were unwell, why you are absent since last two days?’ she asked.

‘I am cruising in Goa. Saumya is my back-up.’ I gently replied.

‘Oh! She is new to office, you know that, right? Her bug fixing mistakes lead to plethora of client issues. Big perplexing story. Can I take command?’

‘Oh Gosh!! Yes, Please.’ And I hung up the call after thanking her.

And yes, since then we worked happily, and we still share friendship bond. Now I’m in Delhi and she in Pune. Recently, post Surgical-Strike 2.0, when I saw her Twitter status, it was full with tough political questions. I just smiled and didn’t question her patriotism unlike several troll comment laying on her profile. I observed, she had posted a background cover image of, founding father of the USA, ‘BENJAMIN FRANKLIN’ quoting, “It is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority.”

After analyzing, unnecessary politicization of the army by both UPA and NDA in recent past, I just left a quote of ‘THEODORE ROOSEVELT’, behalf of her for rest of the public in that comment section, “Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him in so far as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country. In either event, it is unpatriotic not to tell the truth, whether about the president or anyone else.”

All I understood out of this experience is, we need to push behavioral and human science into fora, and not to feed the wolf of bigotry thoughts within us. As they say, both Rama and Ravana reside inside us. Can we boldly muster courage and claim the light of Rama within and defy the all evil Ravana spirit. My Rama here symbolizes "Maryada Purushottam" i.e. Propriety of conduct or Behavior with inner consciousness and human touch.
      However in context of this story, I also believe as much as one must ask questions, one is also suppose to accept answers if it given by right authority with right logic & intention. i.e. The response of Indian Air Forces regarding Balakot strike.

The hue and cry of Indian politics, keeps the science at bay.

All the years of my academics, I had been taught, an intellectual is one who is accommodative of different ideas, flexible with narratives and plans, holds balanced view and stays acute rationale. As a student and a keen learner of my subject "National Interest", across aisle I find it all hypercritic and hypocrite, when I watch television or read them in best newspapers and magazines column of our nation. Every single day one can find, our democracy and constitution is in danger, and initially I used to get appalled. But now after adjusting myself to this routine soap drama, I really find it silly, comical, and sheer waste of opportunity, of these great platform. I and many other youth alike, who have seen thousands of less sunsets than these misemployed cognitive cerebral, found it invasive species. In these power, perception and dogmatic fights among left, right, and centre, alas! Victim is ‘SCIENCE’.

For example - a leftist, a rightist, a regionalist, or one rigid to constitution. Eliminating social issues require ground engagement with stake holders, to enchanting and tossing the constitution is not going to help, all the time. That’s why I found scientist as more humane and vital than these humanities intellectuals, because scientific benevolence is impartial to human. You see, ispo facto the laws of science don’t consider caste, race, sex, financial-status, religion, genotype or organism to be applied upon. What about the law of God? Well, we all know the answer how cleric class and corridor of powers has influenced, used and hijacked it for their political and social gain, across religion. It stings me to point out, we hardly get single article in these leading newspapers or digital-media regarding science background or scientific happening across globe. It’s a matter of luck if you delivered even one in a month in this 21^st century globalized India.

It’s high time for our society to change the narrative, social discourse, public culture and should push for scientific temper. For example - The area of UP and Bihar are more political active area since time immemorial (even 8 out of 14 PM given by UP) but not to mention the apathetic condition of development in these states. Very significant spaces in news outlets across medium print/digital/air, local conversation at corner of the road or at tea-stalls, dialogue between train passengers or night-parties, politics occupies our life by and large. The zero number of sci-fi movies in Bollywood reflects the current demand, taste and culture. We are only as blind as we want to be, a society neglects science at one’s own peril. The risk is so high as our existence. e.g. Observed by Bill Gates, “High probability of a large and lethal unseen modern-day pandemic coming next decade.” Another, is a cumulative 1 in 2700 chance of an Earth collide with asteroid Bennu between 2175–2199. There exist such so many risks, how many we are aware of?

Yes, I agree with the concept of constitutionalism as I know, every immoral thing Hitler did was legal. Also while I agree with the Bapu's one of the seven sins analogy, "Science without humanity is evil", but then from the strong democratic set up India posses, now after 70^th Republic anniversary, the intensity in emphasizing, and make shift in locus standi for science, is need of the hour. The mayhem government of British colonialism is long over undone and we need to come out of the hangover phase of fear psychosis about ruling class. Yes, vigilance is all required as just 42 years back we faced hostile emergency period, but not cynicism. Rather if these platform, energies and resources are implanted to civil societies, NGOs, and intellectuals, to work in tandem with or without government (even in personal capacity) to spread this scientific education revolution (Indian educational renaissance), it will serve much better and effective purpose. With massive 1.35 billion of population explosion, and meagre amount (approx. 2%  only) taxpaying nationals, need to understand the limitations of government fiscal prudence in this sector. Merely exercising voting rights and then criticizing government of the day, has already slowed down our progress in last 72 years of Independent India.

From government part, moreover reform in education sector, its proper implementation is key. New educational schemes are launched every day for showcase, but no one cares how many are implemented successfully. We need outcome based auditing of each scheme. Also gradually government needs to allocate more budget in this sector, and see it as an investment in human resource. Like ISRO, other scientific institutions should be given more autonomous status. I believe, scientific education is best panacea for most of issues, if not all. And if we talk more about education and science, eventually it will lure political directive to work on. In the field of Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Outer space, Missiles, Ecology, Medicine, Biotechnology, Infrastructures, Agro and Marine Tech, etc. we are still lagging behind. Alike ‘Big Democracy’ and ‘Big Data’ concept, we need to implant new “BIG SCIENCE” concept.



My dream of “Big Science” is, say 20-25% population who all are interested will be exhausted to political, social, commerce, administrative, etc. purpose which is secondary subject, and rest 75% shall cudgel their brain towards scientific exploration in different streams as primary subject. Both primary and secondary subjects are equally important but more resources should be allocated towards primary. why? Secondary subjects are essential for smooth daily schedule to run, where as primary subjects will unbox mysteries of world. Even when we purchase some house, at first we cross check our vicinity for all purposes, be it safety, security, curiosity, opportunity, etc. But unfortunately we don't know much about and around our main home, EARTH. Also scientific environment will by default enhance economic prosperity due to newer way of innovation in every field. Life with science will be very comfortable too. Think a world like that, entire human race will be equal and entire cosmos will be our home. Now, not even 1% of us do Research and Development, so if such massive number of neurons will work for science, we solve even solve those NP-Hard problems. Curiosity and science comes to human naturally, we just need to guide and ignite the spark. In this respect, ‘Universal Basic Income’ concept can do wonders, as it will allow citizens to think freely. However, I understand fiscal and social constraint of our current time, and know well, even if we start design such plans and vision as of now, it will take many more years to grow. One can see all these as Utopian, others as huge inert possibilities, isn’t? I'm not saying you've to force somebody to chose science, rather make the culture as scientific just like now its politick. We human learn, grow & adapt quickly, its all about affirmative action towards science.



You'll surprise to know, even NASA won't able to have Apollo Missions or footprint on moon, without geopolitics connotations of space race. During cold war era, USA pushed funds in NASA to become the number one in space, vis-a-vis USSR. Since the collapse of USSR, no new mission to moon been sent due to lack of funds. Other missions of NASA slowed down. If this is the psyche of world's best scientific nation, then what you expect from others? Though in coming days, as China & India will rise in economics & space science, USA have to respond fast and spend more funds, because it don't want to lose the soft power.

India, whatever little achievement she has done in science, are all done on individual scintillating capacity of persons and not as an institution, that’s where we are failing. We are not able to amplifying those massive successes pulled by ISRO. We need more and more article on them. We need to throw more and more topics of science towards youths, so that they can play ease with science. Also apart from ISRO, all other scientific institutions are subpar compare to global standards. No doubt history, sociology, political science, commerce, etc. rest all are essential for smooth administration, but current BPL(Below Poverty Line) subject ‘SCIENCE’ should be given priority as PM is given in Council of Ministers set up of India (Primus Inter Pares).

Unfortunately, the rampant untouchability of science is still being practiced by political, media, and religious institutions. Not promoting science is itself a silent lynching to it. It's crime, it's sin. Its time to encourage the innovative culture from copy-paste. Truth is from constitution to defense parts, most of items are copied and inherited from west and then adjusted according to our need, which goes absolutely fine with me in this co-operative interdependent world, but then one can’t become leader by this copy-filter-implement mechanism. I doubt how many Indians know about our stalwarts like H.Bhabha, V.Sarabhai, S.Chandrasekhar,  S.N.Bose, C.N.R.Rao, P.C.Ray, B.Sahani, Tessy Thomas, and many more. I suspect how many Indians know about Neil deGrasse Tyson, Carl Sagan, Tim Berners-Lee, Richard Stallman, Erwin Chargaff, Francis Crick, and many more.
What about National Science Day?



India celebrates 28 February each year to mark the discovery of the Raman-Effect by Nobel laureate Indian physicist Sir C.V.Raman on 28 February 1928. Until we project them actively, it’s tough to get attention of youths. The best example in this context can be seen, in the promotional difference between game of cricket and other sports, vis-a-vis their success stories. The amount of equity and empowerment, science has brought has seldom done by any other stream. Then, isn't we are in wrong direction of priority and emphasis? To all young vibrant energetic Indian, time to ponder upon. Unless we young people of India demand, practice, and bring it in mundane behavior, neither these old school stiff intellectuals nor these all populist parties who only form policies for vote bank, will work upon.

Enough of political befool phrases, and its time to democratizing science in real sense. To implement fundamental right of Indian constitution Article 21(A), ‘RTE’ in letter and spirit, contribution from all quarters requires. Which includes government, media, NGOs, and civil societies, so to inspect, awake, and promote science in all capacity. Like sports, economics, global news, politics, etc. dedicating one special science page, adding science editorials and idea pages in newspapers can definitely help, and so in news (television/digital fora) conversation and debates with experts. I know de jure fundamental duties are not enforceable, but Article 51A(h) holds key not only for our broader national goal, instead even for all living creatures across cosmos if there exist any.
As our beloved guide, great scientist, and former president of India, ‘Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’, has rightly said once, “Science is a beautiful gift to humanity, neither we should distort it nor ignore it”.