Astrology topmost science, ancient sage did nuclear test: BJP MP Pokhriyal's gems of wisdom

The controversy over Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti’s statements is still to die down but BJP MP and former chief minister of Uttarakhand Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has stirred up a fresh one by claiming in Parliament that astrology is a superior form of science dwarfing everything else. “All streams of science are dwarfed in stature when compared with the science of astrology. Astrology is the number one science for the entire world,” he said.The minister’s statments came during  a debate in the Lok Sabha on a legislation to give more powers to the School of Planning and Architecture. [caption id=“attachment_1833797” align=“alignleft” width=“380” class=" “]  Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank. Image from IBNLive[/caption] During the debate, Pokhriyal also claimed that nuclear tests are not new to India. According to Pokhriyal, in ancient India sage Kanad conducted the first nuclear test. The Indian Express quoted the BJP MLA as saying: “Lakhs of years ago, Sage Kanad had conducted a nuclear test. Our knowledge and science do not lack anything.” Pokhriyal also revisited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement on genetic science’s existence in ancient India and agreed with it. “People raised questions on Modiji’s comments on Ganesh’s surgery. It was actually a surgery. The science or knowledge to transplant a severed head existed only in India,” Pokhriyal said during the debate in Lok Sabha, reported Zee News . The minister was not only criticized for his comments which undermined science but members of Left, Congress and Trinamool Congress came down heavily on the former CM. A report in the NDTV quoted Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi as saying,“It is very important in our current environment that we promote scientific temper in education. We are seeing that this is gradually being eroded. Science is being mixed with religion and mythology. We must accord due respect and understand that there is a separation that exists.” Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy criticised the BJP MP and also took the opportunity to criticise HRD minister Smriti Irani for visiting an astrologer in Rajasthan recently. While the opposition and other parties were up in arms against the statement made by Pokhriyal, the BJP MP stuck to his stand and said there should be a proper discussion on the subject and astrology “should get the respect it deserves.”