Controversial Yoga teacher and self-proclaimed baba, Ramdev, on Monday posted the photos of his meeting with Vedanta boss Anil Agrawal and his wife from London. While posting photos, Ramdev showered praises on the billionaire businessman, whose company Sterlite copper plant had faced violent protests in Tamil Nadu recently.
At least thirteen people were killed in police firing during the protests.
Ramdev, in his post, wrote, “Met @AnilAgarwal_Ved ji during my London visit. I salute his contribution in the national building process by creating lacs of jobs and economic prosperity.” He then went on to blame the protesters for last month’s violence and said that ‘international conspirators’ had ‘created ruckus at one of Vedanta’s plant in South of India.’ Ramdev wrote, “International conspirators created ruckus at one of Vedanta’s plant in South of India through innocent local people. Industries are the temples of development for the nation. They should not be closed.”
The extraordinary support by Ramdev, who now owns one of India’s richest FMCG companies, Patanjali, to an incredibly controversial industrialist did not go down well with people on social media, particularly those hailing from Tamil Nadu. As expected, the controversial Yoga guru began to face social media roasting.
User Velu Nachiyar wrote, “Sir take this plant to your state. We don’t need it in TN even if god says. Do you know why @sterlite_copper was not allowed in Gujarat and Kerala ? Why it was closed in Maharashtra in 1993?” User Rama Suganthan agreed as he too advised Ramdev to set up the plant in one of Patanjali parks, “Take Vedanta to set up plants in your Patanjali parks in various states!” User Manushan wrote, “Who are u guys to talk abt Tamil Nadu. We will manage in our own.. No need of gaumutra guys accompany..(sic)”
A lot of angry users from Tamil Nadu warned that they would also boycott Patanjali products in the state after his support to Vedanta boss. User Sarvs Sagaa wrote, “I get it. You want us to kick out Patanjali too. Will do the needful.” User Deivenki commented, “This would work well in the cow belt. This is just bad PR for vedanta now, come on. At least be worthy of our contempt. Also, don’t babaji. You gon lose your business in Tamil Nadu as well.” User Nirmal felt that the reason behind Ramdev supporting Vedanta chief was the latter’s support to the BJP. He wrote, “Undoubtedly Vedanta is one of the highest donation giver to BJP and I suppose PM to has this same belief.”
Many also took offence to the saffron clad controversial businessman’s flippancy displayed while referring to Tamil Nadu as ‘South of India.’ The copper plant in question was in Thoothukudi or Tuticorin, the state’s port city.
Last month the Tamil Nadu government had cancelled the land allotment to the Vedanta group’s copper plant in Tuticorin in the wake of the killing of 13 people in police firing. The cancellation of land allotment for the proposed expansion of the Sterlite Copper plant also came a day after the government ordered the state Pollution Control Board to “seal and permanently close” the existing unit.
The Tamil Nadu government was accused of carrying out ‘state-sponsored terrorism’ for its alleged collusion in the killings of 13 protesters. The state police had received plenty of flak for its insensitivity. In one video a cop was seen mocking the sufferings of one protestor by asking him to ‘stop acting.’