Minister of State for Human Resource Development Satyapal Singh on Monday said he stood by his statement that Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution was “scientifically wrong”, and called for an international debate on the topic, PTI reported.
Last week, Singh said there was no evidence to show evolution. Soon after, members of the scientific community drafted a letter asking him to retract his statement.
On Monday, the BJP minister said in Guwahati, “I absolutely stand by my comment that Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution is not scientific.”
“Evidence has come out against the theory,” Singh said, giving out a list of international scientists since Darwin’s time who opposed his theory of evolution.
Asked if the Centre will delete references to Darwin’s theory from textbooks, the minister said, “I propose [it], if the Ministry of Human Resource Development is ready to sponsor a world-level international conference to decide what is true and factual and that must be taught in schools and colleges.”
He said all kinds of scientists should be invited to the debate, and added that the media was fuelling a controversy over his statement.
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