Dalit and tribal bodies have called for a boycott of the products of Patanjali after Ramdev, the brand’s founder, allegedly accused Dalits, tribal communities, Muslims and the followers of the late Dravidian leader Periyar of spreading “intellectual terrorism”, The Telegraph reported.
प्रिय, रामदेव (@yogrishiramdev) आपने अब तक माफी नहीं माँगी, आपकी ये हिम्मत? ये हिम्मत आती कहाँ से हैं? सत्ता व हुक्मरानों से। ध्यान रहें, हम सबको झुकाने जानते हैं। पेरियार,अम्बेडकर, मूलनिवासी अस्मिता पर वाहयत टिप्पणी और हमें वैचारिक आंतकवादी कहना बर्दाश्त नहीं। #shutdownPatanjali pic.twitter.com/1ZrviDrOt1
— Hansraj Meena (@ihansraj) November 17, 2019
Ramdev made the statement on Republic TV during a show with Arnab Goswami on the subject of the ‘victory’ of the Hindus with regards to the Ayodhya land dispute. He had posted the same on Twitter too.
हमसब भारतवासियों को भारत का मूलनिवासी एवं सबको समान सबको महान मानते हैं,अपने महान पूर्वजों को आदर्श मानते हैं,
लेकिन कुछलोग भारतीयों कोही विदेशी कहकर व अपने महान पूर्वजों पर झूठे आरोप लगाकर उनको जूते मारते हैं यही डिस्ट्रक्टिव सोच वैचारिक आतंकवाद है,
एकभारत जातिमुक्त भारत बनाएं! pic.twitter.com/vKO7uhCXku— स्वामी रामदेव (@yogrishiramdev) November 17, 2019
“Ramasamy Periyar, an atheist, described the followers of God as fools and labelled religion a poison. Their message is spreading. They are carrying out character assassinations of our saints. This is intellectual terrorism. This will divide the nation”, Ramdev had said during the interview.
The All India Ambedkar Mahasabha, All India Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation and the Bhim Army condemned his statement, describing him as a follower of the Manu Smriti, which codifies the caste system.
“The words used by Ramdev will not be tolerated. He has exposed himself as a believer in the Manuwadi philosophy. We have called for a boycott of Patanjali’s products,” said Ashok Bharati, president of the Ambedkar Mahasabha, which represents Dalit and tribal communities.His organisation has called for the burning of Patanjali’s products on the streets on Tuesday.
The Bhim Army, another champion of Dalit rights, has demanded an apology and a retraction from Ramdev, as has Employees Federation president Waman Meshram.
“The Baba has openly insulted the Dalits and the crores of Periyar’s followers. Like the RSS, the Baba does not believe in any alternative narrative about religious beliefs. We will boycott his products and protest everywhere,” Bhim Army spokesperson Kush Ambedkarwadi said.
यह देश बाबा साहेब अम्बेडकर के दिये संविधान को मानने वाले लोगों का है जो संविधान को नही मानते है वो देशद्रोही है और उन्हें तुरन्त देश छोड़कर चले जाना चाहिए @BhimArmyChief भाई चंद्रशेखर आजाद के दिये हैशटैग #रामदेवभारतछोड़ो का मैं पूरा समर्थन करता हूँ।#रामदेवभारतछोड़ो pic.twitter.com/NpF79Z53fI
— कुश अम्बेडकरवादी (@Kush_voice) November 19, 2019
E.V. Ramasamy Periyar (1879-1973), a social activist and politician who had started the Dravidian Self-Respect Movement, had in his book The Ramayana: A True Reading provided an alternative narrative on the epic. He had interpreted it as depicting a conflict between a Brahminical, caste-ridden and Sanskritic north and a non-Brahminical south.
Taking to Twitter, Bhim Army and other Dalit organizations have asked Ramdev to apologize for his words.
Yesterday, as Dalit activists and members from the community trended the hashtag #BoycottPatanjaliProducts, today they are demanding stricter action with the hashtag #रामदेवभारतछोड़ो.
यह 21 वी सदी का भारत है और बाबा साहब ने कहा था कि 21 वी सदी हमारी है, हमारे भारत में पाखंडियो के लिये कोई स्थान नही होगा। यहां इस देश की अखंडता, एकता और बाबा साहब के संविधान को मानने वाले लोग रहेंगे। जो भी संविधान विरोधी बात करता है, उसे यह देश छोड़ना ही होगा।
#रामदेवभारतछोड़ो— Chandra Shekhar Aazad (@BhimArmyChief) November 19, 2019
रामदेव-पेरियार विवाद पर अब तक की सबसे महत्वपूर्ण प्रतिक्रिया. DMK के अध्यक्ष एम. के. स्टालिन की ओर से.
रामदेव की दुकान तमिलनाडू में बंद. वैसे भी वहां चार शहरों में ही उनके स्टोर हैं. वहां के लोग पतंजलि के चक्कर में कभी पड़े ही नहीं. #पतंजलिकाबहिष्कार https://t.co/15lsunHUcV
— Prof. Dilip Mandal (@dilipmandal) November 19, 2019
#रामदेव_ठग_है #ArrestRamdev
Ramdev says anti caste, anti patriarchy, working class liberators Periyar, Ambedkar, Lenin are “intellectual terrorists”. Why? Because their social & political movements threaten caste, class, patriarchal oppression, exploitation!— Kavita Krishnan (@kavita_krishnan) November 18, 2019
This is not the first time that Ramdev has invited criticism for making casteist comments. In 2014, Ramdev was severely trolled for accusing Rahul Gandhi of visiting Dalit homes for honeymoon and picnic.
As the call for a boycott on Patanjali products was being made on social media, another video was widely shared Monday where Ramdev can be heard openly insulting Periyar.
प्रिय, बाबा (@yogrishiramdev) हम आपके विचारों से सहमत नहीं हैं इसका मतलब आपके अनुसार जुते मारने चाहिये। नहीं, बाबा नहीं। ये हमारे संस्कार और ज़मीरी सभय्ता में नहीं हैं। अंधभक्तों की ज़मात में आप फिर से बहुत गलत बोल गये। ये बिलकुल बर्दाश्त नहीं। #रामदेव_ठग_है pic.twitter.com/ggQZKpXvzH
— Hansraj Meena (@ihansraj) November 18, 2019
Ramdev’s repeated comments against Dalits and minorities have proved that he is a serial offender spreading hate speech and propagating communal disharmony. His links with the right wing party and now the sly repetition of their Hindutva supremacist narrative, has proved that he is anti-equality.
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