Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development Satyapal Singh claimed on Friday, 19 January, that Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution should be removed from school and college curriculum. The reason? According to Singh, Darwin’s theory is “scientifically wrong”.
Speaking to reporters in Aurangabad, the minister said that humans arrived on earth as humans, and did not evolve from apes as Darwin claimed.
“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 while speaking to reporters on Friday in Aurangabad.
The BJP MP from Baghpat in Haryana was appointed MoS HRD on 3 September 2017 following a Cabinet reshuffle. Before joining politics, Singh served as the Mumbai police commissioner.
In the city for the All India Vaidik Sammelan, Singh claimed that ancient Indian texts do not mention anything about apes turning into humans.
“No books we have read or the tales told to us by our grandparents had such a mention,” the minister added.
Developed by Darwin, a 19th century English naturalist, and others, Darwinism is a theory of biological evolution that states that all species of organisms arise and develop through the natural selection of small, inherited variations that increase the individual’s ability to compete, survive, and reproduce.
The theory has a history of controversies. Religious groups which believe in creationism have their reservations on the theory.
It was only in 2008 that the Church of England decided to issue an apology to Darwin, 126 years after his death, for opposing and “encouraging others to misunderstand” his theory. And though the Vatican holds the theory compatible with the Bible, it hasn’t issued an apology.
(With inputs from agencies.)