■有與會學者認為重力波應更名為「納倫德拉莫迪波」，即是以印度總理莫迪命名。 資料圖片【原文】下文摘錄自香港《文匯報》2019年1月8日報道︰
為期5日的第106屆印度科學大會（Indian Science Congress）於上周四揭幕，來自全國各地的學者在近年的會議上經常語出驚人，今年更變本加厲，有講者引用神話故事（mythological story），點名批評牛頓（Isaac Newton）、愛因斯坦（Albert Einstein）等著名理論物理學家存在謬誤，聲稱古印度教徒（Hindus）最先發現並進行幹細胞（stem cell）研究，培植出「試管嬰兒」（test tube baby），連大會主辦機構甚至政府官員也無法忍受，紛紛猛烈抨擊有關發言，並劃清界線。
印度科學大會是當地每年最重要科學盛事之一，今年由總理莫迪（Narendra Modi）主持揭幕儀式，過往主要集中討論印度科研發展。不過，近年屢屢有學者將印度教神話故事與科學理論掛鈎，引起外界非議。安得拉大學（Andhra University）副校長拉奧（G. Nageswara Rao）在會上引用印度神話《摩訶婆羅多》（Mahabharata），稱100名俱盧族人（Kauravas）由同一名母親所出，原因是由於他們發現幹細胞及試管技術。他又引用另一本神話《羅摩耶那》（Ramayana），指數百年前古印度國王擁有24種飛機，並在現今斯里蘭卡（Sri Lanka）地區擁有多條機場跑道。
印度南部泰米爾納德邦（Tamil Nadu）大學教授克里希南（Kannan Jegathala Krishnan）發言時，更批評牛頓未能解讀重力的斥力（gravitational repulsive force），愛因斯坦的科學理論亦存在誤導成分，質疑兩人提出的科學理論錯誤，並認為重力波（gravitational waves），應改名為「納倫德拉莫迪（莫迪全名）波」。
主辦機構印度科學大會協會（Indian Science Congress Association）對有關言論表示「極度關注」，指言論與協會無關，並對大會陷入爭議感到遺憾。印度慈善教育團體（Breakthrough Science Society, BSS）對學者在如此嚴肅的會議上發表這些言論感到震驚，強調神話故事只是帶有寓意（allegory），並充滿幻想和娛樂性，並非經科學驗證的理論，批評大會遭有心人士利用，以發表錯誤及沙文主義（chauvinistic）的言論。
BSS前日在班加羅爾（Bengaluru）的印度科學研究所（Indian Institute of Science）外發起示威，教師、學生及科學界人士參與，示威者展示「不要誹謗（denigrate）印度科學」、「不要混淆神話與科學」等標語。BSS秘書拉賈尼（Rajani KS）指，印度科學大會自2015年以來，均有講者將「神話科學化」，質疑主辦團體縱容（condone）事態發展。全國逾10個城市均有示威，拉賈尼強調行動是要向國民發出信息，表達科學大會不會接受拉奧等講者的言論。
印度首席科學顧問（Principal Scientific Adviser）維賈伊勒格文（K. VijayRaghavan）強調，當局沒介入挑選大會講者的工作，印度科學大會協會亦不會事先過濾講者的演說內容，顯示政府企圖與這場爭議劃清界線。
印度高等教育部長辛格（Satyapal Singh）於去年會議上，曾指達爾文（Charles Darwin）的進化論（theory of evolution）錯誤，揚言要修改全國教育課程中的相關內容，引起外界議論紛紛，但執政人民黨（Indian People's Party）卻讚賞辛格的發言。
Speakers of the Indian Science Congress mixed mythology with science
【譯文】The five-day-long 106th Indian Science Congress （ISC） was inaugurated last Thursday. Yet, scholars of the congress from all over the country have been condemned for making false and controversial claims in recent years. This year, some speakers even quoted mythological stories discrediting the works of some of the world's greatest physicists such as Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein, and suggested that the research of stem-cell and test-tube babies were first invented and conducted by ancient Hindus. Even the organizers of the congress and the government officials found the claims unacceptable and expressed severe criticism over the speeches.
The ISC is regarded as one of the most important scientific events each year, focusing on the discussion of the country's scientific development, and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was invited to inaugurate the congress this year. However, in recent years, many scholars have been criticized for mixing Hindu mythological tales with scientific theories. G. Nageswara Rao, the vice-chancellor at the Andhra University, used the story from the Indian epics Mahabharata proving that 100 Kauravas were born from one mother because they had in fact employed the technologies of stem-cell and test-tube birth, as well as quoted the myth of Ramayana saying the ancient Indian kings had owned 24 types of aircraft and several airport runways in Sri Lanka.
Another speaker Kannan Jegathala Krishnan, a professor at a university in Tamil Nadu in southern India, even criticized Isaac Newton for failing to interpret the gravitational repulsive force and said the scientific theories of Albert Einstein were misleading, questioning the achievements of both grandmasters. He further suggested that gravitational waves should be renamed as "Narendra Modi waves".
The conference's organizer, the Indian Science Congress Association, expressed "shock" at such remarks with absurd theories and distanced itself from them. It regretted that the congress had triggered strong controversy. The Breakthrough Science Society （BSS）, an Indian educational charity, were also shocked by the comments made at the congress, emphasizing mythological verses and epics were only allegorical and rich in imagination and entertainment, but not scientifically constructed and validated theories, and blaming speakers for making irrational and chauvinistic remarks in such a serious event.
Activists working as teachers, students and IT professionals gathered in a silent protest outside the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru holding placards with slogans like "Do not denigrate science in India", "Do not mix mythology with science" etc. Rajani KS, the secretary of BSS, said the speakers of the conference had been scientificizing mythological tales since 2015 and criticized the organizers for condoning such an irrational development. He emphasized that protests had been held in over 10 cities across the country aiming to convey the message that the claims made by Rao and other speakers in the congress were not to be accepted.
Professor K. VijayRaghavan, the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, said the authority did not intervene in the selection of speakers and the conference's organizer, the Indian Science Congress Association, would not ask speakers to submit their scripts in advance, indicating the government's attempt to distance itself from the dispute.
India's minister for higher education Satyapal Singh suggested in the congress last year that Charles Darwin's theory of evolution was scientifically wrong and should be removed from school curriculum, attracting wide condemnation from the scientific community. Yet, such claim was praised by the ruling Indian People's Party.■龐嘉儀
Q&A
1. 第106屆印度科學大會於哪所私立大學舉行？
2. Krishnan除了批評牛頓和愛因斯坦，還對哪位物理學家提出質疑？
3. 地質學家柯蘇拉（Ashu Khosla）還聲稱印度教三大主神的梵天（Brahma）發現了什麼生物？
4. 印度總理莫迪曾引用象頭人身的象神（Ganesha）故事，推論古印度擁有什麼技術？
5. 印度科學大會被評為「偽科學」盛行，它的英文是？
Answer
1. Lovely Professional University（拉夫里科技大學）
2. 霍金（Stephen Hawking）
3. 恐龍
4. 整形手術（Cosmetic surgery）
5. Pseudoscience