Union minister Satyapal Singh was at the receiving end of several leading scientists’ ire after he claimed that Charles Darwin's theory of evolution is "scientifically wrong,” while speaking to reporters in Aurangabad on Friday, 19 January. The HRD minister said our ancestors have nowhere mentioned that they saw an ape turning into a man.
“Darwin’s theory (of evolution of humans) is scientifically wrong. It needs to change in school and college curriculum. Since the man is seen on Earth he has always been a man,” he said.
But unfortunately, this is not a stand-alone event. Several members of the Bharatiya Janata Party have found it arduous to keep scientific fact and religious mythology separate. In fact, most of them have displayed a knack of linking all progress to vedic science, or for that matter, the miracles of cow urine besides any rationale.
Remember, the bizarre reference made to "Divine Justice" by Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on 22 November last year?
He said that some people suffer from life-threatening diseases such as cancer because of sins committed in the past.
While that sparked a storm, he is not the only Indian politician to come up with such unscientific and shocking comments. We have here a list of 10 other politicians who have been in the headlines for their peculiar remarks.
While West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee defended the increasing number of rapes in her state by saying, "Are all women in the state being raped?" in 2013, BJP Leader Tarun Vijay rose to controversy with his racist remarks against people belonging to south India in 2017.
From SP Leader Abu Azmi’s bizarre tips on how not to get raped in India, to Mulayam Singh’s argument against hanging rapists — our politicians have put us to shame on several occasions.
While these comments make you doubt the dearth of sanity, you are still left undecided whether to be furious or laugh off the folly!
Video Editor: Vishal Sharma
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