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Imagine a global summit called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on peace and social harmony. Who will be surprised if worthy participants like Bajrang Dal and other vigilante groups create some disturbances there? That probably explains how a private university spoiled the show at the Artificial Intelligence (AI) summit by the fraudulent act of displaying a Chinese instrument as its own innovation.   

Nobility and brilliance aren’t turnkey projects. Politics shapes social and cultural traits. It can nurture or destroy moral precepts. Mahatma Gandhi, as a leader, is bound to have a different support base compared to Benjamin Netanyahu. Haven’t we seen important persons stealing credit, distorting history and indulging in blatantly false propaganda to mislead the gullible masses? 

Hawking lies don’t invoke a sense of remorse today. An unscrupulous businessman says he developed a cure during the pandemic and sells the unverified concoction to make millions. A thug claims divine power; takes out chits to fool people on a daily basis and holds public durbars to spread superstition. Forget punishment or discouragement; top politicians fell at his feet and the prime minister empowers him by describing him as his “younger brother”. 

Some will prescribe cow dung and urine as the cure for cancer; others will talk about the mythical flying machine called “Pushpak Viman” and surgery in the primitive age to fix Ganesha’s head. An entire ecosystem has flourished under political patronage to smother scientific temper.

We have seen economists casting serious doubts over the credibility of our data. Suppression of facts to project a false scenario of development and good governance is routine. We have anointed ourselves “Vishwaguru” even as we remain at the bottom of global indices on almost every parameter. 

Our per capita income is pitiably low, hovering around 140 in the global ranking, but we hype up the size of our economy to claim greatness. Outfits and individuals notorious for intellectual bankruptcy dream of guiding the whole world. Has this not legitimized the culture of fakery and forgery?

Imagine what would happen if our students learnt history from our politicians. They will write that India got freedom in 2014 and Jawaharlal Nehru was a traitor. Forces running WhatsApp universities have left........

© The Wire