IIT Madras director V Kamakoti created a stir after he praised the “therapeutic value” of cow urine (gaumutra) in the treatment of diseases and claimed that it has “anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties”, as well as digestive benefits.
In the video that went viral, Kamakoti narrates the life story of a sick person and said that the sanyasi cured himself of high fever after eating cow’s urine.
He said that ‘gomiya’ (cow urine/gaumutra) has “antibacterial, antifungal and digestive properties”, and praised its “therapeutic value” in treating conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Kamakoti said this while speaking at an event held at a ‘Go Samrakshana Sala’ to Maatu Pongal on January 15 in Chennai. He also made this statement when he emphasized the importance of farming and the important role played by indigenous cattle in agriculture and the economy as a whole.
Maatu Pongal (the second day of the Tamil Thai month) is a festival dedicated to cows and bulls where people hold poojas and ceremonies to thank the cows and celebrate their role in agriculture and communal activities.
POLITICAL ROW OVER ‘GAUMUTRA’ WORDS
DMK leader TKS Elangovan criticized Kamakoti for his speech and said that the central government’s intention is to “corrupt” education in the country.
Congress leader Karti Chidambaram also slammed the director of IIT Madras for his statement saying, “Pedalizing pseudoscience by Director of @iitmadras is very wrong @IMAIndiaOrg.”
Rationalist outfit Dravidar Kazhagam called Kamakoti’s remarks “shameful”. Its leader Kali Poongundran mentioned a study that revealed that cow’s urine is not suitable for human consumption due to the presence of harmful bacteria.
Calling the speech a “contrarian view”, Poongundran urged people not to believe such views.
Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam leader K Ramakrishnan demanded Kamakoti to back her claim with evidence or apologize for her words. “If he does not apologize, we will protest against him,” he said.
Dr GR Ravindranath of the Doctors Association for Social Equality said that consuming cow urine can cause viral diseases and accused the BJP-led central government of promoting pseudo-science and superstition.
Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai lashed out at DMK and others for trying to “stir” the controversy and praised Kamakoti for following her. He said the Professor’s comment was his opinion and he did not speak about it and did not ask others to drink cow urine.
Amid the controversy, sources close to Kamakoti told PTI that his statement has a lot of context as he is also a ‘natural farmer’, speaking at the time goshala (in the barn) event.
IIT MADRAS BAT DIRECTOR OF ORGANIC FARMING
In this event, Kamakoti emphasized on protecting cattle and said that it is beneficial for the economy, nutrition and the environment. “Let’s not forget Bhoomi Mata (mother earth) if we use fertilizers. The sooner we switch to organic and natural farming, that’s good for us,” he said.
He favors the use of biogas and advises against converting agricultural lands to any other use, be it building houses or doing commercial businesses such as wedding halls or cinemas.
Speaking about Thomas Babington Macaulay, who sowed the seeds of the British education system in India, Kamakoti suspected that this Briton was for exterminating the native cattle, and taking India to a place of slavery.
“Indigenous cattle and bulls (Naatu Maadu) form the core – the building block – of organic farming therefore, great efforts should be made to protect indigenous cattle breeds,” he said.
Kamakoti took over as director of IIT Madras on January 17, 2022. Awards and honors include the DRDO Academy Excellence Award (2013) for his outstanding contribution in the field of scientific research and technology development.
(with input from PTI)