Will be called anti-national even for not using Patanjali facewash: Kanhaiya

Kumar said that recently 68 students of the Panjab University were booked for sedition for protesting against hike in fee.

Nagpur, Apr 13: Stating that many sections of the society are living in "an environment of fear", student leader Kanhaiya Kumar on Thursday said one will be dubbed "anti-national" even for not using a Patanjali brand face wash in the present scenario.

"Such is the environment of fear in the country now, that if you do not use Patanjali face wash, then you will be called anti-national," the former president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union said.

Patanjali Ayrved is the Indian FMCG firm founded by Yoga guru Baba Ramdev. He was addressing a gathering to launch 'Bihar Te Tihar', the Marathi version of his Hindi book, on the eve of the birth anniversary of dalit icon Dr B R Ambedkar.

"Babasaheb Ambedkar had framed Constitution in such a manner that it has provided freedom to every member of society in many ways. But this freedom enshrined in the Constitution has not been delivered to large section of society," Kumar said.

He said that in the present scenario, various sections of society, "including the poor, dalits, women, tribals, backward classes, minorities, and even intellectuals live in fear." Kumar said that recently 68 students of the Panjab University were booked for sedition for protesting against hike in fee. "The present scenario in the country is such that if you demand reduction in fee, you will be labelled as anti- national," he added.

PTI