By TCN News,
New Delhi: Extending support to Gauhar Raza, several researchers, scientists, science communicators and academicians from across the world have registered concern about his personal security and the safety of his family members.
Gauhar Raza, a well known scientist, poet and film-maker is in news after he was labelled ‘anti-national’ by Zee News TV channel due to his poetry recited on March 5 in a Shankar-Shad Mushaira held in New Delhi.
“We strongly condemn this attempt to stifle the voice of Gauhar Raza and register our concern about his personal security and the safety of his family members,” reads the statement endorsed by 70 odd eminent personalities from around the world.
The statement also expressed astonishment over media singling him out and said, “(We) are shocked to learn about the sinister propaganda unleashed by a section of the Indian Media against Gauhar Raza”.
“We value the significant contribution that he has made in the areas of Public Understanding of Science and Science Communication, and are deeply disturbed that Gauhar Raza is being targeted for expressing his views freely,” the statement adds.
The group unequivocally opposed the shrill voices of intolerance and urged the governments to take the necessary steps to create an atmosphere for free speech and exchange of ideas.
THE STATEMENT IS ENDORSED BY:
1.Adam Barclay, Senior Science Communication Professional, Australia
2.Angus Campbell, Senior Lecturer, Department of Industrial Design, FADA, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
3.Arlene Grossberg, Senior researcher (RIA), HSRC South Africa
4.Audrey Laurain, En recherche d’emploi dans le développement culturel-chargée de projets, Nancy, Lorraine, France
5.Audrey Risser, Community Manager, Paris, France
6.Bernard Schiele, Professor Faculty of Communication, University of Quebec at Montreal, Canada
7.Bia Vianna Mooney Bia Vianna, PhD candidate in science communication, George Mason West Virginia University, United States
8.Chris Bradnum, Head of Department, Department of Industrial Design, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
9.Claudie Haignere, Doctor, Politicians and former Astronaut, France
10.David Maimela, Researcher – MISTRA, South Africa
11.Dr Carmelo Polino, Centro Redes (Center of Studies for Science, Development and Higher Education), Argentina and Ibero-American States Organization (OEI), Argentina
12.Dr Donghong CHENG, Vice president of China Association for Science and Technology(CAST), China
13 Dr Fabienne Crettaz von Roten, Maître d’enseignement et de recherché, Directrice de l’Observatoire Science, Politique, Société (OSPS), Faculté des sciences sociales et politiques , Université de Lausanne (UNIL), Switzerland
14 Dr Hester du Plessis, Mapungubwe Institute of Strategic Reflection, MISTRA, South Africa
15 Dr Luis Xuan, Researcher, CRISP, China
16. Dr Marina Joubert, Science Communication Researcher, CREST, South Africa
17. Dr Petra Pansegrau, Fakultät für Linguistik und Literaturwissenschaft, Masterstudiengang “Interdisziplinäre Medienwissenschaft”, Universitätsstr. 25,33615 Bielefeld, Germany
18. Dr YIN LIN, Associate Researcher Fellow in CRISP. China
19. Enrico M. Balli, CEO, Sissa Medialab, Trieste, Italy
20. Erika Amethyst Szymanski, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
21. Fred Balvert , Editor-in-chief, Science Communicator, Erasmus MC, The Netherlands
22. Ildeu Moreira Ildeu de Castro Moreira. Institute of Physics Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Vice-President of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science (SBPC), Brazil
23. Jeffrey Sehume, Senior Researcher, MISTRA, South Africa
24. Jenni Metcalfe, Director Econnect Communication – ‘Bringing Science to Life’, Brisbane, Australia
25. Joëlle Le Marec, professeur à l’Université Paris 4 Sorbonne Paris, France
26. Julie Adam, Project Manager for Science & You, Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France
27. Kaťulka Šikulka Katerina Pickova, Chargée de Projet Science &You, University of Lorraine, France
28. Lauren Chambliss, Communication Director, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY USA
29. Lin YIN, Associate Research Fellow China Research Institute for Science Popularization (CRISP), China
30. Liu Xuan Xuan LIU Associate Researcher Fellow China Institute for Science Popularization, China
31. LuoHui , President, National Academy of Innovation Strategy,, CAST, P.R., China
32. Maja Horst Professor, Head of Department Maja Horst, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
33. Mark-Susi Varvayanis , Senior Director, Cornell University, USA
34. Michel CLAESSENS, Communications, ITER Fusion for Energy, Route de Vinon-sur-Verdon, France
35. Nancy Longnecker Professor of Science Communication, University of Otago, New Zealand
36. Nicolas Beck, à l’Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France
37. Niels Mejlgaard Centre Director, Niels Mejlgaard, Aarhus University, Denmark
38. Noor Asmaliza (Liza), Doctoral Candidate, School of Environment, Human Sciences Building, University of Auckland, New Zealand
39. Osamu Sakura, Professor of STS, The University of Tokyo, Japan
40. Patrick Baranger, Professeur honoraire à l’Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France
41. Paul Brown – artist and writer specialising in art, science and technology, London
42. Prof Ahmet Suerdem, Istanbul Bilgi University, Turkey & Senior Academic Visitor, London School of Economics, London, UK
43. Prof Andrea Lorenzet, Padova Science Technology and Innovation Studies, Padova, Italy
44. Prof Brian Trench, President, Public Communication of Science and Technology, PCST Network, Dublin, Ireland
45. Prof Bruce Lewenstein, Professor of Science Communication, Chair, Department of Science & Technology Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853 USA
46. Prof Federico Neresini, Dipartimento di Filosofia, Sociologia, Pedagogia e Psicologia Applicata (FISPPA) , Sezione di Sociologia, PADOVA, Italy
47. Prof Geri Popova, Goldsmiths, University of London, New Cross, London, UK
48. Prof Hak-Soo Kim, Affiliation: Sogang University School of Communication, Seoul, Korea.
49. Prof Johann Mouton, Director of the Centre for Research and Evaluation, Science and Technology at Stellenbosch University, South Africa
50. Prof Kristina Petkova, Associate Professor at the Institute of Sociology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
51. Prof Martin Bauer, Editor Public Understanding of Science, Director MSc Social and Public Communication, London School of Economics (LSE), Department of Social Psychology & Department of Methodology, Houghton Street; London , UK
52. Prof Michael Gastrow, Education and Skills Development research programme, HSRC, South Africa
53. Prof Miguel Ángel Quintanilla, Profesor universitario y político español, Filosofía de la Ciencia en la Universidad de Salamanca (España), SPAIN
54. Prof Peter Weingrat, Professor Emeritus, Director, Centre of Inter-Disciplinary Research, Dielefeld, Germany
55. Prof Ren Fujun, Chinese Academy of Science and Technology, China
56. Prof Roberta D’Alessandro, Italiaans| Universiteit Leiden, Netherlands
57. Prof Steve Miller, Professor of Science Communication / Planetary Science, Department of Science and Technology Studies / Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London , UK
58. Prof Tamar Groves, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
59. Prof Yuri Castelfranchi, The Federal University of Minas Gerais, Departamento de Sociologia e Antropologia Department, Brazil
60. Saahier Parker, Chief Researcher: R&D Survey, Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators (CeSTII), Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), South Africa
61. Sinikiwe Simakani-Masters Student, Stellenbosch University South Africa
62. Steve Fuller, Auguste Comte Chair in Social Epistemology, Department of Sociology , University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
63. Tanya Abrahamse, CEO, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Cape Town, South Africa
64. Temba Masilela, ED, Research use and Impact assessment unit (RIA), HSRC, South Africa
65. Teresa Girão, Science Museum, University of Coimbra, Portugal
66. Thomas Auf der Heyde, Pretoria,South Africa
67. Vickie Curtis Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, University of Glasgow, UK
68. Vijaya Kumar (Prof), President, National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka
69. Xuan LIU, Associate Research Fellow China Research Institute for Science Popularization (CRISP), China
70. Zhang Zhimin, China Research Institute for Science Popularization (CRISP), China