Avoidable muck-raking: Revoke the ban on scientists

PERHAPS stung by frequent criticism of inaction on scandals, the UPA government has over-reacted by banning four top space scientists from government employment. Scientists perhaps do not need government jobs as much as the government needs scientists. But by slapping the ban on G. Madhavan Nair, a former Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and three of his former colleagues, the government has attached a stigma to their reputation which can be challenged in court. After the undignified, much-publicised row over the age of the Army Chief this is another matter involving high-profile individuals that has been handled insensitively.

The four scientists were accused of under-pricing the leasing of space spectrum. The two committees of inquiry that probed the controversial allotment of satellite bandwidth to a Bangalore-based company called Devas Multimedia have found no scam in the 2005 deal. Going by the evidence made public, there was no exchange of money or loss to the exchequer. The deal was scrapped after allegations of wrongdoing surfaced.

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