Kanimozhi Slams Anurag Thakur’s “Hanuman in Space” Claim: Science vs Myth in Political Debate

Updated on Sep - 15 - 2025, 10:35 AM

In a sharp response to BJP MP Anurag Thakur’s recent remark, DMK’s Kanimozhi Karunanidhi has criticised what she sees as a dangerous blurring of myth and science. Thakur had said during an interaction with schoolchildren that “Hanuman ji was the first person to travel to space,” urging teachers to move beyond colonial-era textbooks.

Kanimozhi, speaking at an event in Madurai, didn’t hold back. She warned that confusing mythology with scientific fact misleads young minds and erodes the values of reason and curiosity. She went further, saying that while people in some parts of the country might claim mythological characters achieved feats like going to the moon, such attitudes would not happen in Tamil Nadu, where she claimed respect for scientific temper is stronger.

This clash highlights a deeper tension in Indian public discourse how to balance respect for tradition and myth with commitment to rational inquiry and evidence. Teachers and students become the immediate stage where this balance matters. For Kanimozhi, the integrity of educational content is at stake, as is the responsibility of leaders to not blur myth with measurable scientific fact.

The controversy also raises questions about how leaders use narratives and symbols to make political points and whether doing so compromises clarity, especially in classrooms. For many, the concern is: when myth is presented as fact, what becomes of critical thinking?

As the debate goes on, what seems clear is that citizens, educators, and political figures alike are being asked to draw clearer lines between cultural respect and empirical truth. And perhaps, to reflect on what role each plays in shaping young minds.