You know how they say, you ought to take pride in your country’s rich culture and heritage and always try to uphold it? Even our PM Narendra Modi wants us to step up and ‘Make in India’. But it looks like our Union Science & Technology Minister, Dr. Yash Vardhan, might have taken this a little too seriously and attempted to ‘Make in India’ some ‘alternate facts’ about our ancient Indian scriptures, specifically, the Vedas. And he’s dragged none other than the recently deceased Stephen Hawking in it.
To give you a little background, the 105th Indian Science Congress was inaugurated on Friday, 16th March, in Imphal, Manipur, by PM Narendra Modi.
With the PM and several other dignitaries present, and a media full house clinging to his every word, the Union Science & Technology Minister Dr. Yash Vardhan made a bold claim. According to him, Stephen Hawking had once said that our Vedas might have a theory superior to Einstein’s E= mc2.
Stephen Hawking, renowned British physicist and cosmologist passed away this week at the age of 76.
#ISC2018 –Each and every custom and ritual of Hinduism is steeped in science; every modern Indian achievement is a continuation of our ancient scientific achievement. Even Stephen Hawking said, our Vedas might have a theory superior to Einstein’s law E=MC2. @moefcc @IndiaDST pic.twitter.com/QP9PbLElCd
— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) March 16, 2018
If you’re unable to locate the exact emotion you should be feeling right now, then high five!
The media was equally baffled by Dr. Vardhan’s unshaken belief in this claim, and so they asked him for sources to back this. You know, like any normal scientific inquiry.
The answer they received was of course, GOLD.
According to TOI, the Minister refused to give a concrete source but instead, put the onus to find one on the people questioning its validity!
“You find the source. He went on record and said that there is a possibility that Vedas have a better formula than the one given by Einstein. You also work a bit on this (to find this source).”
Alright then! Challenge Accepted!
People really did slog a lot to find this amazing claim made by the late physicist and came up with some surprising finds.
For starters, the Institute of Scientific Research on Vedas website seems to have been one fo the chief sources of the honourable minister’s claims.
It is stated, in pretty much the exact same words, on the website that Hawking did indeed make such a statement, proclaiming Vedas > E= mc2.
To add to that, another…umm… interesting source was found, which could have been the spine of this upright claim by the minister.
Apparently, it is a Facebook fan page made by one @hari.scientist, a Stephen Hawking fanboy, which has a post that makes the exact claim. Sorry Einstein!
Wow, this is shameful. I dug around and I think I found the source of this. There were multiple articles saying he said it, and they all link to — wait for it — this page run by an Indian guy whose display name is Stephen Hawking. https://t.co/0QgS9te5sS pic.twitter.com/EumOpuNY7S
— Sandhya Ramesh (@sandygrains) March 16, 2018
After closely examining the Minister’s statements and all the other proofs that the Internet had thrown up, Twitter reached a consensus that: Yeh thoda zyada ho gaya!
Vedas are awesome and all that, but really? Stephen Hawking said that? Sorry, cannot digest this!
1. Here’s a tip: Don’t believe everything you read on FB!
So in summary, India’s science minister quoted a fake Stephen Hawking Facebook page to claim the late scientist said the Vedas could contain more advanced scientific theories than Einstein’s, and then, asked his source, replied: “You find it” #Friday
— michael safi (@safimichael) March 16, 2018
2. Too enamoured by the ‘Glorious Past’?
This constant harking back to India’s ‘glorious past’ indicates a deep inferiority complex. The Minister of Science & Technology’s recent comment on the Vedas and Stephen Hawking is a fine example of this. And, should he still be in this ministry?
— Tavleen Singh (@tavleen_singh) March 17, 2018
3. Oh WhatsApp forward? Then toh definitely it is true!
Science & Technology Minister @drharshvardhan claims- "Stephen Hawking said Vedas had a 'theory' superior to Einstein’s thesis".
Haters may laugh at him, but he's right. Maine khud WhatsApp pe padha hai.
— PuNsTeR™ (@Pun_Starr) March 16, 2018
4. Some Roadie Rage over this!
“Stephen Hawking said the Vedas have a law superior to Einstein’s theory of relativity”. Hahaha! This can only be said by someone who has no idea about Stephen Hawking, Vedas or Einstein. And believed by insecure fools.
— Raghu Ram (@tweetfromRaghu) March 16, 2018
Okay now here’s the thing: There are several studies that claim our Vedas and our mythology contain several instances of scientifically and technologically advanced weapons and procedures, such as the Brahmastra being the equivalent of modern day nuclear bombs or Ganesha’s elephant head story being similar to modern day cosmetic surgery.
Who knows, chances are, our Vedas may even have some hidden breakthrough theories even now, which might be more powerful than anything we have yet explored. But to make such a claim without any concrete back up sources or without any expertise in the field is definitely a little too far-fetched. No one’s going to believe you; instead trolls just get more fodder.
We’re rooting for our Vedas, definitely. But till we can prove this, let Einstein have his moment in the spotlight no, please?