On Friday, Union Minister for Science and Technology, Dr Harsh Vardhan has announced that the second campus of Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) is ready for dedication to the nation. The minister said that the campus will be named after MS Golwalkar.
Dr Vardhan said, “I am happy to understand that this research facility will be named as ‘Shri Guruji Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar National Centre for Complex Disease in Cancer and Viral Infection.” He made this announcement while addressing a curtain-raiser session of the sixth edition of the India International Science Festival (IISF), scheduled to be held online from December 22-25.
However, the decision to name RGCB’s second campus after MS Golwalkar has drawn major criticisms.
Through a tweet, Kerala Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala strongly criticised the Centre’s move to name RGCB’s second campus after Golwalkar.
Chennithala even wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding the government to retain the name of Rajiv Gandhi for the second campus too.
Meanwhile, in a series of tweets, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor questioned Golwalkar’s contribution to science other than promoting the disease of communalism.
Many senior leaders like Oommen Chandy and MA Baby too have criticised the Centre's move.
The new campus will be an exclusive knowledge centre and a hub for mid and high-level innovation. The campus is planned to be developed in three phases.
Dr Vardhan stressed that the campus would strive to initiate a state-of-the-art ‘Advanced Centre for Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics’ that will provide cutting edge technologies, therapies, clinical trials for cancer vaccines and immunotherapeutics. A unique test and prove platform will also be provided to investors, entrepreneurs, biotech and bio pharma companies, added the minister.
The minister pointed out that India will strongly overcome all hurdles posed by the Covid-19 outbreak as scientists in the country are tirelessly working hard, and nothing can stop the country’s onward march.
