Kerala's Nair Service Society (NSS) on Monday, July 31, demanded the resignation of Kerala Assembly Speaker AN Shamseer over his remarks that in Hindutva, myths were replacing scientific claims. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has already hit the streets asking the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leader to quit for the same reason.

Shamseer, who is an MLA from Thalassery in Kannur district, was addressing a public meeting last week on new developments in science when he remarked that there was a concerted effort by the Union government and proponents of Hindutva to claim that many major scientific inventions took place in India, attributing them to Hindu mythology. He went on to talk about plastic surgery and said that while it was a relatively new invention, the votaries of the Hindutva were of the opinion that Lord Ganesha got his elephant head through plastic surgery. Back in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself made a similar claim. 

Shamseer also said that while the Wright Brothers had pioneered aviation, Hindutva proponents claim the Pushpaka Vimana (a mythical flying chariot mentioned in Ramayana) as an earlier instance of aircraft innovation.

Castigating Shamseer, NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair said, "Shamseer is the one who controls the Assembly and such a denigrating statement from him is not acceptable. He should step down, and if not, issue an apology for his statement that has deeply hurt the Hindu community. Those in the government should take appropriate steps.”

Shamseer’s statements stirred controversy with BJP, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) objecting to them. BJP IT cell in-charge Amit Malviya shared a video juxtaposing Shamseer’s remarks on unscientific claims based on Hindu mythology with his affirmative comments on Islam. The clips showed Shamseer saying the Holy Quran has progressive views on how one should lead one’s life and that it was distorted with a misogynistic bend. In another clip, Shamseer is heard quoting from the Quran saying it tells people to do good deeds and not evil deeds, and that angels were sent to earth to record people’s good and evil deeds.

A N Shamseer, speaker of Kerala Legislative Assembly, is a religious bigot, who is exploiting his position in public life, to denigrate Hindu faith and beliefs. Hindumisia is deep rooted in the Communists, who have now forged an alliance with the Congress, a self proclaimed… pic.twitter.com/2FaSWD3D8d

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) July 24, 2023