In Mumbai, a group of distinguished scientists, academicians, and activists has made a formal request to the government. They are urging officials to pause the rollout of E20 fuel, dissolve the National Testing Agency, and implement a comprehensive anti-black magic law. The collective emphasizes the need for public policies that are firmly based on scientific evidence.
The appeal was signed by scientists and activists, including Padma Bhushan awardee Prof M S Raghunathan of CEBS, Mumbai; SSB awardee Prof S G Dani, president of Breakthrough Science Society; Prof. Aniket Sule, HBCSE-TIFR; Prof B M Arora, University of Mumbai and former TIFR; Dr N Krishnan, former TIFR; and Anil Kumar Singh, secretary, Mumbai Press Club.
Demanding an immediate suspension of the E20 fuel policy, the group highlighted the lack of a comprehensive lifecycle environmental assessment and supporting infrastructure, while warning that diverting water-intensive food crops for biofuel production threatens food security and depletes groundwater reserves. The Opposition parties, especially the Aam Aadmi Party and the Shiv Sena , have also been critical of the government’s E20 fuel policy. Linking policy choices to the broader climate crisis, the scientists voiced concern over extreme weather events, melting glaciers, rising sea levels, ecosystem collapse and accelerating species extinction. Invoking Article 51A of the Constitution regarding the duty to foster scientific temper, the appeal opposed the promotion of superstition, and urged the enactment of a stringent central anti-black-magic law to combat witch-hunting and fraudulent faith-healing practices.
Under the slogan “Adopt Science, Secure the Future”, the organisers urged scientists, educators, students and citizens to embrace the scientific method and logical reasoning to help secure India’s collective future.
