Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today called upon the scientists of the country to guard against the illegal and illiberal use of products of science. Inaugurating the 98th Indian Science Congress at Kattankulathur near Chennai, Dr. Singh said that science had made rapid progress in all kinds of societies, modern and liberal as well, but the products of science were put to illiberal use on many an occasion.

He gave examples of Nazi Germany which used poison gas in wars and some countries like India which used science for constructive purposes including the breeding of new crop varieties and the advancement of agro chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

Dr. Singh said it is very unfortunate that most of the instruments now available in the country, using the principle of Raman Effect, were imported from other countries.  “Why is this situation?” he asked the scientists and said that many of our outstanding scientific discoveries have been converted into marketable products by technologists and firms abroad. “Why is our research weak in this field?” asked the PM.