[des_t]

I certainly don't support fascism but at least Hitler had some interest in science. Things are worse in India. We spent 0.8% of the GDP on Science and Technology. At the same time, a part of that (taxpayer money) is spent on Homeopathy, Ayurveda, and Cow Urine/Dung Research.

Our policy-makers absolutely have no idea what evidence in science means. Here is an entertaining collection of statements by Indian ministers,

=> “Science is a dwarf in front of astrology.” - Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, the minister of human resource development

=> “Since man is seen on Earth, he has always been a man. Nobody, including our ancestors, in written or oral, said they ever saw an ape turning into a human being.” - Satyapal Singh, the minister of state for human resource

=> "Vedic theory is greater than the theory of relativity." - Harsh Vardhan, the current Minister of Science and Technology

=> "Cow urine cures cancer" - current Bharatiya Janata Party member of parliament

=> "Maths never helped Einstein discover gravity" - Piyush Goel, minister of Railways and Commerce

=> "Ganesha proves plastic surgery existed in ancient India" - Modi, Prime Minister

More gems here: https://caravanmagazine.in/science/false-scientific-claims-m...

[reaperducer]

While I don't dispute that those things were said, they're meaningless without context.

How many people made such statements compared with the number of ministers in India? Are these people still in power? Are they leaders in what they do, or are they on the margins and taken with a grain of salt/ignored by the masses and their peers?

Are the sentiments you list commonplace among Indian politicians, or is this like when one Catholic priest says something wacky and the internet goes crazy labeling a billion people?

[des_t]

Yes, without the context it could be misleading that is why there is the hyperlink, so one can understand more.

Irrespective of what party is in power now or previously, the policy-makers should not be making these crazy claims. Please understand this is not a race to the bottom, anyone who holds public office should be held accountable. A countless number of people will take their words as the truth.

And to answer your question yes many of these people still hold the office and all comments were made when they held the office.

[goldfeld]

It's no use saying "at least Hitler" if it was going to be used to exterminate your kind from the face of the Earth. In that case it's not "at least"; it's much worse.

Also of course vedic theory could be greater than any given theory, no matter how revolutionary, or it could not. It would obviously depend on perspectives and values on life.