What is the preferred beverage at a Gaumutra Party?
Netizens were rather horrified on Saturday after videos of an Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha event showed those present partaking of an unidentified, but seemingly suspicious, liquid.
To give a bit of context, the event had been organised in a bid to "neutralise the effect of coronavirus" and was to be akin to a "tea party".
Posters for the event suggested that it was being organised by Swami Chakrapani Maharaj, the president of the organisation.
According to an earlier article by The Print, Maharaj had earlier told the publication that it was necessary to create aware about how cow urine, dung and other (more palatable) cow products.
“Just like we organise tea parties, we have decided to organise a gaumutra party," he had been quoted as saying by the publication. He opined that by consuming such products, "people can be saved from" coronavirus.
Photos and videos of the event which went viral on social media showed people being served small cups with a liquid within. And even as netizens controlled their horror, those attending the event smoothly downed their drinks.
Now, a cup of a seemingly water-like liquid does not prove that what they consumed was urine. But Maharaj himself had earlier earlier mentioned that the event would have counters to provide cow urine for people's consumption. It is thus not a great stretch to assume that the liquid being drunk is not water.
And this might not be an isolated incident. The organisation plans to hold similar events across India.
The Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha is not the only advocate for the curative properties of cow urine when it comes to the coronavirus. Recently, Suman Haripriya, a BJP legislator in Assam said that cow urine when sprayed could "purify an area".
I believe something similar could be done with 'gaumutra' and 'gobar' to cure coronavirus (disease)," she had said in the Assembly.
Netizens had a lot to say about the "party". From a rather uncharitable critique of their intelligence to critical comparisons against the measures China had taken to combat the novel coronavirus, they left no topic alone. There were however a few takers for the remedy who agreed with the organisation.
Take a look at some of the reactions.
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