Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma claims that a technology similar to the test tube baby technique existed during the days of Ramayana and gave the example of goddess Sita's birth from a pitcher to substantiate his statement.
Sharma, who on Wednesday said that journalism had started during the times of the Mahabharata, said that Janak, Sita's father, had used a plough following which she was born from a pitcher.
"All of us know that Lord Ram returned from Lanka in Pushpak Vimaan. This proves that vimaan (aircaft) existed then. It is said Goddess Sita was born in a ghada (pitcher). At that point of time, some project of test tube baby existed," the BJP minister claimed last night.
"Janak (Sita's father) used a plough, and a baby came out from the pitcher. She became Sitaji. This is some kind of technology which is similar to today's test tube baby (technique)," Sharma said.
Tripathi defended Sharma, saying, "He has not made any controversial statement. We support the statement made by him."
"In fact, he has provided a glimpse into the Indian culture, which is presented in a distorted manner by a section of the media," Tripathi said.
Speaking at an event organised in Mathura to mark the 'Hindi Journalism Day' on Wednesday, Sharma had said the mythological character, Sanjaya, sitting at Hastinapur, narrated a bird's eye view of the war of Mahabharata, to Dhritarashtra.
"If this is not live telecast, then what is it," Sharma asked.
The deputy chief minister had also said that journalism had started during the times of the Mahabharata and he cited various instances from the Indian epics to buttress his claim.
The BJP minister equated another character, Narada, with the present-day Google.
"Your Google has started now, but our Google started a long time back. Narad Muni was the epitome of information. He could reach anywhere and transfer a message from one place to another by saying 'Narayana' three times," he said.
The BJP leaders have courted controversy by trying to link modern inventions with ancient India by claiming that advance medical procedures like cataract and plastic surgeries, theory of gravitation, nuclear tests and the Internet had all started during ancient times.