#BoycottPatanjali Trends On Social Media After Ramdev Makes Anti-OBC Comments (Photo on X स्वामी रामदेव @yogrishiramdev)
Yoga Guru and the owner of Patanjali products Ramdev was heard making derogatory remarks against the OBC community at one of his events in an undated video clip from a Television Channel. In the video that went viral on social media with the trending hashtag, #BoycottPatanjali products, Ramdev was seen saying that he was a Brahmin, an Agnihotri Brahmin and his original gotra is Brahma gotra. “I am an Agnihotri Brahman. People say babaji is OBC…I am a Vedi Brahmin, Dwivedi Brahmin, Trivedi Brahmin, Chaturvedi Brahmin — I have read four Vedas,” Ramdev was heard saying.
After the video went viral on social media, with the boycott call of the Patanjali products becoming trending, the Yoga guru today (Saturday) responded by saying that he never commented on OBC. “I never gave any statement on OBC,” Ramdev said responding to a question from the reporters.
Many people on X (formerly Twitter) raised the issue to the discussion. With a boycott of Patanjali products hashtag, Hansraj Meena, a writer and social political activist said how the Ramdev can show hypocrisy of caste superiority and insult the OBC community. “Ramdev, you become a Brahmin. Become a Thakur. Become a tradesman. I do not mind. But how can you show the hypocrisy of caste superiority and insult the OBC community in such a way? Keep in mind, the day OBCs boycott Patanjali”s goods, this shop will be locked,” Hansraj Meena wrote in his post, calling for the boycott of the Yoga Guru’s products.
रामदेव आप ब्राह्मण बनो। ठाकुर बनो। बनिया बनो। मुझे कोई दिक्कत नहीं है। लेकिन आप जातीय श्रेष्ठता का पाखंड करके ओबीसी समुदाय की ऐसी-तैसी करके कैसे अपमान कर सकते है? ध्यान रखें, जिस दिन ओबीसी पतंजलि के सामानों का बहिष्कार कर देगा उस दिन इस दुकान पर ताला लटक जाएगा। #Boycott_Patanjali pic.twitter.com/LPg2Sv5g4I
— Hansraj Meena (@HansrajMeena) January 13, 2024
However, In an apparent attempt to escape the consequences of boycotting his products, the Patanjali founder said that it was “Owaisi” and not OBC. He also said that the Owaisi and his predecessors were anti-nationals, Hindustan Times reported.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi too reposted the video shared by AltNews co-founder and fact-checker Muhammad Zubair, noting how Baba Ramdev is turning to Owaisi as it because he knows “people are ok with him abusing Owaisi and not OBC”
Businessman @yogrishiramdev makes derogatory remarks against the OBC community and after his video went viral and when people started boycotting his Patanjali products, He tries to escape by saying he spoke against @asadowaisi and NOT OBC. Because he knows people are ok with him… pic.twitter.com/imNowuDGZY
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) January 13, 2024
