Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma on Friday raised eyebrows after he suggested that the Hindu epic Ramayana ’s Sita was a test-tube baby.
Speaking at a skill completion function here, Mr. Sharma said: “It is said that Sita ji was born through a pitcher. There must have been some sort of project for test-tube then...that a baby came out of the pitcher and became Sita ji . This must have been like today’s test-tube technology.”
He claimed that aircraft technology existed during the times of the Ramayana and referred to the ‘Pushpak Viman’ in the epic.
Mr. Sharma also said technology for the “live telecast” of events existed during the time of the epic Mahabharata . He said that Sanjaya provided a “live-telecast” of the war in Kurukshetra to Dhritarashtra, while sitting in Hastinapur.
“Why am I telling you this? I am saying this because there were unlimited possibilities for skill development in Bharat Varsha,” Mr. Sharma said.
He was mocked and criticised on social media for his comments.
A former two-time Mayor of Lucknow, Mr. Sharma is a Cabinet Minister in Uttar Pradesh, holding the portfolios of Secondary Education and Higher Education, Science and Technology, Electronics and Information Technology.
Mr. Sharma’s father Kedarnath Sharma was close to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologue Deen Dayal Upadyaya. Also a Professor of Commerce in the Lucknow University, Mr. Sharma has authored five books and 40 research papers.
He is a member of more than a dozen religious and cultural organisations in Lucknow ,and a life-time member of the World Association for Vedic Studies. He began his career with the Yuva Morcha, and has held the post of both vice president and president of the BJP’s youth front in U.P.
‘Exercise restraint’
BJP general secretary Bhupendra Yadav called Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma after the latter’s remarks generated a controversy. Mr. Yadav, sources in the BJP said, asked Mr. Sharma to “exercise restraint” in his public utterances and not create unnecessary controversies.
( Inputs from Nistula Hebbar )
