Mandi (Himachal Pradesh): An undated video of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi director Laxmidhar Behera has triggered a controversy as he is seen making students take a vow to not eat meat since according to him consuming it leads to natural calamities.
“Himachal Pradesh will have significant downfall if innocent animals are not stopped butchering (sic)," Behera says in a video that is being widely shared on social media. “To become good human beings, what you have to do? No to meat eating," Behera is heard saying in the video, as he proceeds to ask students to take a vow not to eat meat.
He makes them repeat the words "No to meat eating". "Ek saath, dhang se bolo (Say it in unison and say it properly)," Behera is heard directing the students as he addresses their gathering in some auditorium.
In the video, he can be heard saying, “You are butchering there (in Himachal Pradesh)… the innocent animals. It has a symbiotic association with the degradation of the environment as well. People won’t be able to witness the relation between animal killings and environment but landslides, cloudbursts and other natural disasters are effects of cruelty towards animals," he says.
Social media users reacted to the video criticising Behera for his remarks. “The collapse is complete. These superstitious fools will destroy whatever little was built in 70 years.” Scientists Gautam Menon wrote: “In the current dispensation, having views like those of the Director of IIT Mandi featured here is a feature, not a bug. It’s simply said.”
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In the current dispensation, having views like those of the Director of IIT Mandi featured here is a feature, not a bug. It's simply sad. https://t.co/4auwFGeyU6
— Gautam Menon (@MenonBioPhysics) September 7, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">In the current dispensation, having views like those of the Director of IIT Mandi featured here is a feature, not a bug. It's simply sad. https://t.co/4auwFGeyU6
— Gautam Menon (@MenonBioPhysics) September 7, 2023In the current dispensation, having views like those of the Director of IIT Mandi featured here is a feature, not a bug. It's simply sad. https://t.co/4auwFGeyU6
— Gautam Menon (@MenonBioPhysics) September 7, 2023
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IIT Mandi's Director Laxmidhar Behera claimed earlier that he drove out ghosts using chants.
— Sandeep Manudhane (@sandeep_PT) September 7, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
Now the same chap has claimed that Himachal Pradesh landslides are because people eat meat, causing cloudbursts. Then he forced students to take an oath "I will not eat meat". (yes, he…
">IIT Mandi's Director Laxmidhar Behera claimed earlier that he drove out ghosts using chants.
— Sandeep Manudhane (@sandeep_PT) September 7, 2023
Now the same chap has claimed that Himachal Pradesh landslides are because people eat meat, causing cloudbursts. Then he forced students to take an oath "I will not eat meat". (yes, he…IIT Mandi's Director Laxmidhar Behera claimed earlier that he drove out ghosts using chants.
— Sandeep Manudhane (@sandeep_PT) September 7, 2023
Now the same chap has claimed that Himachal Pradesh landslides are because people eat meat, causing cloudbursts. Then he forced students to take an oath "I will not eat meat". (yes, he…
Last year, the IIT Mandi director had sparked a controversy after a video went viral on social media in which he can be heard saying that he was involved in an act of exorcism to rid his friend’s apartment and family of “evil spirits” by chanting “holy mantras”.
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