Newton Trends on Twitter After Railway Minister Piyush Goyal Says 'Einstein Discovered Gravity'

After Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's announcement on Tuesday that the auto sector slowdown was because of millennials, Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has tapped into the same anti-millenial sentiment.

At a meeting for the Board of Trade, the former Finance Minister seems to have gone viral on Twitter after an embarrassing gaffe.

Addressing a question on how India is supposed to become a $5-trillion economy at the current rate, he defended the percentage the economy is supposed to grow at.

"Don't get into the calculations that you see on television," Goyal is heard saying in the viral video. "If you look at a $5 trillion-economy, the country will have to grow at 12%, today its growing at 6%-7%, don't get into those maths," he adds.

But this wasn't all. Goyal continued, "...Maths never helped Einstein discover gravity."

Reporter : Sir how India would become 5 trillion Economy in such growth rate?Piyush Goyal : Don't look at numbers. Math never helped Einstein discover Gravity.Fact : Gravity was discovered by Newton in 1687. pic.twitter.com/aj58N87IgV

— IRONY MAN (@karanku100) September 12, 2019

Just in case you're doubtful, Isaac Newton discovered gravity. He also found the formulae (the math) behind it. Einstein is known more famously for the Theory of Relativity.

Twitter was quick to pick up on the gaffe. 'Newton discovered gravity,' netizens quipped.

Soon after the video started going viral, 'Einstein' and 'Newton' became the top trends on Twitter India. And very similar to Sitharaman's statement, Goyal too was meted out the meme-treatment.

Why should Nirmala have all the fun? Piyush Goyal has just delivered a blockbuster dialogue "Don't get into calculations about the economy. Don't get into maths. Maths never helped Einstein discover Gravity" Millennials and Maths are the problem. Not Modi Govt. Understood? pic.twitter.com/JCoCIbdoxp

— Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) September 12, 2019

1. Einstein didn't discover gravity.2. Newton did.3. Gravity was discovered based on Mathematical work of laws of motion, not falling apple. pic.twitter.com/9Ydsw8FE2W

— Sumit Kashyap (@sumitkashyapjha) September 12, 2019

If Einstein discovered gravity, what did Newton do?

— aparna (@FuschiaScribe) September 12, 2019

Newton just turned in his grave and said- Bhai Einstein ye video dekh. pic.twitter.com/31Kf9HnAIm

— Scotchy (@scotchism) September 12, 2019

Brilliant! Maths didn’t help Einstein discover gravity....because he didn’t. Newton did. And obeying gravity, the economy is free falling pic.twitter.com/u1HAFICXS4

— Ajay Kamath (@ajay43) September 12, 2019

Einstein when he was told that he discovered gravity. pic.twitter.com/7fnxNh7vnZ

— Ankur Bhardwaj (@Bhayankur) September 12, 2019

Finance Minister in-waiting says “Einstein discovered gravity”. Mind you - NOT Newton. Then he says he did so without math. He’s wrong. In fact, Modi ji was the one who discovered gravity when he found the extra 2ab in a+b square. pic.twitter.com/kSK8FLda5H

— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) September 12, 2019

Mr @PiyushGoyal - I don't think you have ever studied science but being an Engineer I feel it is my moral duty to correct you - Einstein didn't discover Gravity, Newton did. Get your basics right Mr Goyal, that would help even in the Economy. pic.twitter.com/OPEZRjB4op

— Ankit Lal (@AnkitLal) September 12, 2019

"those maths have never helped Einstein" pic.twitter.com/Q714jIloVs

— Halal Khan (@brumbyoz) September 12, 2019

#Einstein is trending higher than #Newton :( #gravity

— Gargi Rawat (@GargiRawat) September 12, 2019

Mr Goyal, FYI 1. Einstein didn't discover gravity.2. Newton did.3. Gravity was discovered based on Mathematical work of laws of motion, not falling apple. #Einstein #Economyslowdown https://t.co/Ew36CNQ9IE

— Pradyut Bordoloi (@pradyutbordoloi) September 12, 2019

But it appears Goyal was not alone in this endeavour. A lot of Indians actually Googled 'Who discovered gravity' to reconfirm whether it was indeed Newton.

Earlier, after Sitharaman's statements, '#BoycottMillenials' had started trending, blaming millenials for...well, everything.

While we are still unsure about whether the auto industry slowdown can actually be blamed on millennials using Ola and Uber, we know one industry they're not slowing down: making memes on Twitter.