“Some people wear rings of particular gemstones for improving luck and life. But if you wear a wrong (‘manik’) gemstone then it causes trouble. So Tripura had a wrong Manik (CM), time to take it off and wear a HIRA (diamond). H-Highways, I-Iways, R-Railways, A-Airways”, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally in Agartala on February 8. Some people wear rings of particular gemstones for improving luck & life. But if u wear a wrong (manik) gemstone then it causes trouble. So Tripura had a wrong Manik (CM),time to take it off & wear a HIRA=diamond- H-Highway, I=Iways R=Roads A=Airways: PM Modi in Sonamura, Tripura pic.twitter.com/BF3sEeJi6D — Smita Prakash (@smitaprakash) February 8, 2018 Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s love for acronyms is well known, but less discussed is his penchant for often alluding to the mythological and the obscure. This latest assertion that gemstones bring good fortune has little basis in science. In fact, not just PM Modi but many prominent members of his party who hold significant positions have made a slew of statements seeking to emphasise the supremacy of ancient India in the realm of science and technology. In doing so, they have made statements ranging from plain inaccurate to downright bizarre. Alt News has put together a compilation of all such statements and tweets that have emanated from the political establishment. 1. Lord Ganesha’s elephant head must have been due to plastic surgery Prime Minister Narendra Modi had, while referring to Hindu mythology had said that he believes that Lord Ganesha was the first ever example of plastic surgery. PM Modi has repeated this assertion more than once. Apart from the instance posted above, he also referred to it when he addressed a gathering of medical professionals in Mumbai in October 2014. 2. Karna was born due to genetic engineering Karna, a character of the epic ‘Mahabharata’ was born due to genetic engineering, according to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Those who have read or heard the Mahabharata, I would like to draw their attention to the epic. And according to my modest understanding, I believe that Karna’s birth was due to stem cell technology, due to science”(translated), said Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 3. Darwin was wrong, no one saw ape turning into man Minister of State for HRD Satyapal Singh caused an uproar and much amusement by asserting that Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution is scientifically wrong because no one saw an ape turning into a man. Singh’s statement was splashed across the world and was much ridiculed. The minister however did not see the contradiction between his statement and his later assertion that he is a man of science. He stuck to his statement. 4. “Teach IIT students about Pushpak Viman” MoS HRD Satyapal Singh, before he made the infamous Darwin comment, had in September 2017 said that students in premier engineering institutes like IITs must be taught about ancient Indian discoveries and inventions such as Pushpak Viman, which is mentioned in the Ramayana. Singh had also said that before the Wright brothers supposedly invented the aeroplane, an Indian named Shivakar Talpade had invented it eight years before the Wright brothers. “Why are students not taught that before the Wright brothers, an Indian called Shivakar Babuji Talpade was the first to invent the airplane. This person invented the plane eight years before the Wright brothers. Are our students taught these things in IITs or not? They should be”. The Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru had published a study and concluded that most of the theories put forward by Vaimanika Shastra on the basis of which Talpade supposedly built the aircraft were unfeasible. 5. Yoga can cure cancer Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Naik in 2016 said that the practice of Yoga can cure major diseases including cancer. He added that the Government could come out with scientific evidence of it in a year. “It is a proven fact. We have visited the Bengaluru-based Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA) institute, where many people told us they have been cured of cancer by regular practice of yoga. The institute has found a technique of yoga for the prevention and cure of cancer”, Naik had said. More than a year has elapsed but the Government or Naik are yet to come out with ‘evidence’ of the efficacy of Yoga in curing cancer. 6. India conducted nuclear test lakhs of years ago According to BJP MP from Hardwar and former Uttarakhand CM Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, India was never a stranger to nuclear technology. In fact, a sage had conducted a nuclear test lakhs of years ago. Participating in a debate in Lok Sabha, Nishank had reportedly said, “Today we are talking about nuclear tests.