Newton did not discover gravity, says Raj minister

◗ Rajasthan education minister Vasudev Devnani claimed that it was Brahmagupta- II, a renowned Indian mathematician and astronomer, who discovered the law of gravitation and not Issac Newton

Rajasthan education minister Vasudev Devnani, who had claimed that cows exhale oxygen, has come up with another gem of a claim. According to him, the law of gravitation is an Indian discovery.

While speaking at the 72nd Foundation Day celebrations at Rajasthan University, Mr Devnani said, “It was Brahmagupta- II, a renowned Indian mathematician and astronomer, who discovered the law of gravitation and not Issac Newton, like we have all been told.”

He added, “A few days ago, I was reading about the discovery of the law of gravitation. It was mentioned that Newton discovered it. I have read it and you have too. But if you go deeper, you would know that Brahmagupta II had given the theory of gravitation well over a thousand years ago. The mechanism was developed later.”

Last year in January, Mr Devnani, in an attempt to put the cow on the pedestal, claimed that cow is the only animal that inhales as well as exhales oxygen. Diseases, such as cold and cough, are healed if one goes near a cow, Mr Devnani had claimed. He emphasised the role of the youth in protecting the cows. He also claimed that cow dung has ample quantities of vitamin B, which results in soaking radioactivity.

When probed, he clarified that he had read this fact on research websites and that it had recently appeared in a magazine of Akshya Patra, the foundation whose programme he had gone to attend.