After junior Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Satyapal Singh had fanned controversy with his statement on Charles Darwin’s evolution theory and Newton’s laws of motion,  now Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan has claimed that cosmologist Stephen Hawking, who passed away this week, had said the Vedas have a theory that is superior to Albert Einstein’s equation e=mc^2 that sums up the theory of special relativity.

Einstein’s theory of special relativity (e=mc^2) is a critical contribution to modern physics.

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The Union Minister who was addressing the inaugural session of the 105th Indian Science Congress, however, parried questions on the source of the information.

“We recently lost a renowned scientist, cosmologist Stephen Hawking. He also emphatically said on record that our Vedas might have a theory which is superior to the Einstein’s theory of e=mc^2,” Vardhan told a gathering of scientists and academicians.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla, Chief Minister N Biren Singh were present on dais when Vardhan spoke.

Asked to disclose the source to buttress his claim, Vardhan told reporters, “You find the source. He had on record 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).”

Vardhan told reporters that could get back to him in Delhi if they failed in their research.

“I have said this in an open forum. I thought he needs to be remembered (on the occasion),” the minister said.

Later, Vardhan also defended his statement on Twitter saying “#ISC2018- Each and every custom and ritual of Hinduism is steeped in science; every modern Indian achievement is continuation of our ancient scientific achievement. Even Stephen Hawking said, our Vedas might have a theory superior of Einstein’s law E=MC^2”.

#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

‘From labs to land’

At the inaugural session of the 105th Indian Science Congress in Imphal (Manipur), Prime Minister Narendra Modi exhorted scientists to extend their research from “the labs to the land” and said that India has to be “future ready” for the greater benefit of the people.

While emphasising  that this is just the second time in over a century, that the Indian Science Congress is being held in the North-East, which is a testimony to the resurgent spirit of the North East.

Which bodes well for the future, PM Modi had said, while adding that India has a rich tradition and a long history of both discovery and use of science and technology.

Also read | What PM Narendra Modi said at 105th Indian Science Congress in Manipur

(With agency inputs)