Prakash Javadekar snubs MoS over Darwin comment

New Delhi: Facing flak for his remarks on Charles Darwin’s theory on evolution, minister of state for human resources development Satyapal Singh on Tuesday was asked by his senior colleague, Prakash Javadekar, to refrain from making such comments.

Mr Singh, at an “All-In-dia Vaidik Sammelan” in Aurangabad last week, had said that Darwin’s theory of evolution was “scientifically wrong” be-cause nobody had seen an “ape turning into a man”.

He said that it needs to be changed in school and college curricula and even called for an international debate on the topic and said all kinds of scientists should be invited to the debate on the issue.

Over 2,000 scientists fr-om three top institutions — The Indian National Science Academy (New Delhi), The Indian Acade-my of Sciences (Bengalu-ru) and the National Academy of Sciences (All-ahabad) — issued a joint statement condemning the Mr Singh’s remark.

“There is no scientific dispute about the basic facts of evolution. It would be a retrograde step to remove the teaching of the theory of evolution from school and college curricula or to dilute this by offering non-scientific explanations or myths,” the statement read.

Intervening in the row over the remarks, Mr Javadekar said there are no plans for a national seminar to prove Darwin wrong.

“I have discussed the matter with my MoS (Mr Singh) and I have asked him to refrain from making such comments. We should not dilute science. This is the advice I have given him,” Mr Javadekar told a news agency. He also clarified that the HRD ministry is not going to fund any event or has any plans for a national seminar to prove Darwin wrong.