Sometimes you fall into things. Indian population genetics is not a major interest of mine that looms large, but I know a fair amount about the topic, and people seem to be looking to me to say something about recent developments. I have admitted that I am close to completing a major article in an Indian publication on the topic. It will in broad sketches resemble Tony Joseph’s piece in The Hindu, but there will be some differences. Because I am a geneticist with some knowledge of this topic I will avoid the minor errors which occur within the piece because the author is not a specialist (nor are the editors). Second, I’m going to take a less strident tone. Joseph’s piece read like a brief for the prosecution. But science is not a lawyerly endeavor. Being wrong is something scientists accept, embrace, and reject only in breach of their values, not as a matter of course.
As noted by readers this is an emotional topic. A friend informed me that Sanjeev Sanyal positively passed around the Swarajy piece which attacked my character by relying on social justice warrior and Leftist critiques. I tweeted at Sanjeev taking some objection to this behavior, as we had been friendly (I had dinner with him in New York City a few years back). Today I see that he unfollowed me on Twitter. Such is life (an Indian friend who is Facebook friends with Sanjeev apparently objected to his posting that article due to its attack on me, and he deleted that comment).
But I have to stand by what is true. So I’m going to respond to another piece,
