In Tamil Nadu, several Dravidian student unions and the ruling DMK have launched a tirade against IIT Madras director Veezhinathan Kamakoti over singing bhajans in his ancestral village and hailing the medicinal properties of gaumutra (cow urine).
Earlier this month, visuals of Professor V Kamakoti singing Margazhi bhajans on the streets of his native village Vishnupuram near Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu.
In the video, Kamakoti was seen dressed in traditional attire accompanied by a harmonium-wielding man, and some women and children singing bhajans.
*IIT Madras Director Sri Kamakoti, at his native village Vishnupuram. Margazhi bajan🙏* pic.twitter.com/5ZAv0FNNoS
— Narayanan R (@rnsaai) January 10, 2025
Condemning the alleged politicisation of Professor Kamakoti’s way of practising his faith, Tamil Nadu BJP state president K Annamalai said that Professor Kamakoti is an expert in Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing, etc., and he chose to pray to God in his own way. However, a student union is politicising this. The BJP leader urged the student unions to call off their protest and respect IIT Madras’s sanctity.
“It’s unfortunate that our Chennai IIT Director, who is a very decorated person, who is an expert in AI, and quantum computing, he chose to follow his dharma. He chose to pray to god in his own way. That is being politicised by a group of students union. Everybody has the right to practise his religion. I urge them to stop the protest and respect the sanctity of the institution. IIT Chennai is not only the pride of Chennai but the entire country,” Annamalai said.
VIDEO | Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai (@annamalai_k) says, "It's unfortunate that our Chennai IIT Director, who is a very decorated person, who is an expert in AI, quantum computing, he chose to follow his dharma. He chose to pray to god in his own way. That is being… pic.twitter.com/cdJUrwZk3B
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 19, 2025
Meanwhile, a video of Professor Veezhinathan Kamakoti reportedly praising the medicinal benefits of Gaumutra (cow urine) has gone viral on social media.
Madras #IIT Director V Kamakoti speaking in a Pongal festival in Chennai said diseases can be cured quickly by drinking cow urine.
— Suresh Kumar (@journsuresh) January 19, 2025
Kamakoti addedthat when his father had a fever, drank cow urine on the advice of a sanyasi and the fever subsided after fifteen minutes. he said… pic.twitter.com/JA40Qsicnv
While addressing an event at a Go Samrakshana Sala on the day of Maatu Pongal (15th January), Professor Kamakoti said, “An ascetic had high fever and was thinking of calling a doctor. I forgot the sanyasi’s name, but he said ‘Gomuthran pinami’.
He then immediately drank cow urine and in 15 minutes, his fever subsided,” Kamkoti said adding that cow urine is effective in treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Mocking the IIT Madras director, Congress state co-ordinator Subathra Devi said, “Look at the IIT director in the brain-strong gang regime. Cow urine is a fever medicine.”
மூளை வலிமை அதிகம் கொண்ட கும்பல் ஆட்சியில் ஐஐடி இயக்குநர் லட்சணத்தை பாருங்கள்.. கோமியம் காய்ச்சல் மருந்தாம்😅 pic.twitter.com/3StltuzStU
— Subathra Devi (@SubathraDevi_) January 18, 2025
Similarly, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said, “Peddling pseudoscience by @iitmadras Director is most unbecoming.”
Peddling pseudoscience by @iitmadras Director is most unbecoming @IMAIndiaOrg https://t.co/ukB0jwBh8G
— Karti P Chidambaram (@KartiPC) January 18, 2025
Meanwhile, DMK leader TKS Elangovan slammed Professor Kamakoti and demanded his transfer from IIT Madras. “He must be transferred from IIT and posted at one of the GOI medical colleges. What will he do in IIT? It deals with engineering and related disciplines,” Elangovan said adding a sarcastic remark that Kamakoti should be made director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) instead.
The DMK leader did not leave the opportunity to express his disdain for North India and said, “Not here. In Uttar Pradesh or anywhere else where they can take the people into their fold, where they can cheat people and tell lies about Gaumutra. What nonsense is this? It is real nonsense.”
“Fortunately Directors are not taking classes to students I guess. There are other lecturers and professors to take classes. If he is taking any class, it’s unfortunate for the students. People like Kamakoti should be thrown out of the education system. He should be made to perform pujas in temples. He is a misfit. And that he has proved,” he continued.
The ‘Rationalist’ outfit Dravidar Kazhagam deemed Professor V Kamakoti’s remarks “shameful” and “regressive.” The outfit’s leader, Kali Poongundran, urged people not to believe such opinions.
VIDEO | Here's what Dravidar Kazhagam Vice-President Kali Poongundran said on the 'cow urine' remarks by IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti yesterday.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 19, 2025
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/RZhkDlvXx7
Similarly, Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam leader Ramakrishna said that Kamakoti should either provide proof for his gaumutra remarks or apologise. He further threatened to stage a protest against Kamakoti if the latter did not apologise.
Meanwhile, the BJP defended Professor Kamakoti and said that the DMK and Congress were wrong to target the Director of IIT Madras.
BJP leader Narayan Tirupati said, “It is a kind of substance used in medicines. Everyone knows that. Our former PM Morarji Desai also used to have Gaumutra. It is there in Indian tradition…It is one’s belief. If you don’t believe it, leave it. You can’t comment on a person like the IIT Director who’s an intellectual, a man of integrity, a man of high education. He is very clear. These people who don’t have any other work except for criticizing the Brahmin community will talk. Let’s ignore them.”
