‘Is It Ambedkar, Periyar Followers Who Lynch?’ Students Ask Ramdev

In an interview to Arnab Goswami, Baba Ramdev called the philosophies of Ambedkar & Periyar “ideological terrorism”.

Baba Ramdev, in an interview to Arnab Goswami, called followers of Ambedkar and Periyar “ideological terrorism.”

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Video Editor: Vishal Kumar

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev recently courted controversy when he called followers of BR Ambedkar and Periyar “ideological terrorists” in an interview with TV anchor Arnab Goswami.

Followers of the Indian reformers and social icons from across the country reacted sharply to Ramdev’s remarks and asked, “Are we the ones who’ve ever demolished mosques or killed innocents in the name of cows or Ram?”

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Noting that Ramdev himself belongs to the OBC community, Srikanth Chintala (Law student of Osmania University, Hyderabad), said,

“This is an age-old strategy of the Brahmanical class and RSS to want the Scheduled Castes and the Other Backward Classes to fight [their battles]. They would never directly fight the Bahujans. There is a very big conspiracy behind Ramdev Baba talking against Periyar, talking against Ambedkar... It is a strategy. And Baba Ramdev is only a scarecrow projected by RSS.”

Anusha, who is studying English in Chennai’s Madras Christian College, said, “Someone who said this could only be someone who supports oppression of people... be it patriarchy or casteism or oppression of the working class. I don't think he would have even read anything of Periyar or Ambedkar's work or understood what they have been doing.”

While #ArrestRamdev trended on Twitter, students across the country recalled the contributions of “The Father of the Constitution” and “The Father of the Self-Respect Movement”.

Ankush, Political Science student in Patna University, said,

“The two heroes of the Bahujan Movement fought against casteism all their lives. Casteism has been behind all socio-economic problems in India.”

Sam Stains, another student from Madras Christian College, said, “I would like to remember something Periyar said: Man is equal to man. There should never be exploitation.