Congress's dare to Zoho's Sridhar Vembu amid sparring over cow urine research
India Today
The Congress mocked IIT Madras director V Kamakoti after he received Padma Shri for his past views on alleged medicinal values of cow urine. Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu defended the educator, slamming the political party for its "slavish colonial mindset".
The Kerala unit of Congress and Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu upped their clash on X on Tuesday after the former challenged him to invest in cow dung and urine research. The ongoing verbal spat began after the tech titan defended Padma Shri awardee IIT Madras director V Kamakoti for his views on the alleged medicinal properties of cow urine. Congress took a sharp swipe at Kamakoti, who in turn received support from the Zoho co-founder. "Since you are a billionaire who believes in the magical benefits of cow urine, why doesn't your company invest in proper cow urine and cow dung research? If cow urine can help in healing cancer, that would be one of our greatest contributions to the world. Why don't you take up this challenge and put the money where your mouth is?" Congress tweeted.
Citing Covid-19, Congress said that during the pandemic, several fraudsters had emerged who tried to kill the virus "using cow dung and gomutra (cow urine". "What was the outcome?" the party asked.
Congress also questioned the point of cow urine and dung research, mocking that the excreta of goats, buffaloes and even humans should then be considered as well. "There is no doubt that we need cancer research. But why do you insist that it is only cow dung or cow urine that can cure cancer?" the Kerala unit of the party tweeted.
On Monday, Congress shared a video of the IIT Madras director reacting to being conferred Padma Shri. Highlighting the educator's past views on cow urine benefits, the party said his "bleeding edge research" to take "gomutra to the world stage" has been recognised.
"Congratulations to V Kamakoti on receiving the honour. The nation recognises your bleeding edge research on Cow Urine at IIT Madras, taking Gomutra to the world stage," the post quickly stirred a row and invited a sharp response from Vembu.
The billionaire slammed Congress for its "slavish colonial mindset" that thinks cow urine and dung research are "not scientific propositions worthy of investigation".
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