(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Aug 9 (IANS) The Congress on Saturday criticised Samajwadi Party leader S.T. Hasan for his controversial remarks on the Uttarkashi cloudburst, calling them "very thoughtless" and rooted in superstition rather than science.

Reacting to Hasan's comments, senior Congress leader and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat told IANS,“This is a very thoughtless comment, whoever made it. Such remarks should not come from a former Member of Parliament. We are people who respect all religions. Our land honours everyone. The people here live with love and harmony. It is only some forces of hatred that have emerged across the country.”

Congress leader Udit Raj echoed similar sentiments, slamming the religious undertone of Hasan's remarks.

He said,“We should not believe in superstitions. These are all superstitious notions that ruin the country. This is the scientific age, and every incident has scientific and natural causes.”

He added,“If everything happened according to religion, then why are wars still taking place? Why hasn't God ended global conflict, hunger, theft, or rape? Why does inequality still exist between the rich and the poor? What ST Hasan is saying is nonsense. Let him say what he wants-people know better.”

The criticism comes after ST Hasan, a former MP of the Samajwadi Party, stirred controversy by linking the natural disaster in Uttarakhand to alleged religious intolerance.

Speaking to IANS earlier, Hasan had said,“We don't know how many people are still trapped under the debris. It's truly a heart-wrenching incident. A whole village has been washed away. Earlier, it didn't rain like this. Why are such tragedies happening? We need to reflect. We've cut down too many trees.”

He further claimed,“In Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, other religions are not being respected. There is someone who governs this world, and when divine justice happens, no one can protect themselves. Bulldozers should not be used on any dargahs or temples. It's better to evacuate such places peacefully.”

Congress leaders called for sensitivity and scientific temper while responding to such tragedies.

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