Aakar
Patel in his latest article gives a 10 point advice agenda to Leonardo Di
Caprio to not promote vegetarianism wherein he accuses vegetarianism to divide
people of India, instill hatred for Muslims and bring low life expectancy in
India besides other emotional comments. I would like to advice Aakar Patel to
kindly check the statistics and cite evidence based facts before making
allegations or add a disclaimer to the articles that this a work of a fiction.
Patel in his latest article gives a 10 point advice agenda to Leonardo Di
Caprio to not promote vegetarianism wherein he accuses vegetarianism to divide
people of India, instill hatred for Muslims and bring low life expectancy in
India besides other emotional comments. I would like to advice Aakar Patel to
kindly check the statistics and cite evidence based facts before making
allegations or add a disclaimer to the articles that this a work of a fiction.
1. Leonardo Di Caprio is one of those rare celebrities
who is aptly using his popularity to influence healthy environmental progeny
and reduce carbon foot prints. He is advocating a sustainable lifestyle which
involves optimum utilisation of natural resources, forestation and
vegetarianism.
who is aptly using his popularity to influence healthy environmental progeny
and reduce carbon foot prints. He is advocating a sustainable lifestyle which
involves optimum utilisation of natural resources, forestation and
vegetarianism.
2. Before criticizing Leonardo Di Caprio, Sir David and
Sir Richard for promoting vegetarianism, Aakar Patel should give atleast one
reason to prove that vegetarianism is bad for health. Being vegetarian is not
harmful to self, society or environment then why such a resistance towards it? Does
Mr.. Patel have problems with being vegetarian or with people who are promoting
it as either of the cases don’t justify his advice to Di Caprio.
Sir Richard for promoting vegetarianism, Aakar Patel should give atleast one
reason to prove that vegetarianism is bad for health. Being vegetarian is not
harmful to self, society or environment then why such a resistance towards it? Does
Mr.. Patel have problems with being vegetarian or with people who are promoting
it as either of the cases don’t justify his advice to Di Caprio.
3. Subjects like vegetarianism need to be discussed on
scientific ground and not on personal or emotional basis. On what basis Aakar
Patel claims that non vegetarians are stronger then vegetarians? Some past and
present important personalities worldwide who are ‘strong’ vegetarians include
Maharana Pratap, Mahatma Gandhi, Pythagoras, Goerge Bernad Shaw, Leo Tolstoy,
Voltiare, Paul Mc Carty, APJ Abdul Kalam, Albert Einstein, just to name a few.
scientific ground and not on personal or emotional basis. On what basis Aakar
Patel claims that non vegetarians are stronger then vegetarians? Some past and
present important personalities worldwide who are ‘strong’ vegetarians include
Maharana Pratap, Mahatma Gandhi, Pythagoras, Goerge Bernad Shaw, Leo Tolstoy,
Voltiare, Paul Mc Carty, APJ Abdul Kalam, Albert Einstein, just to name a few.
4. One does not expect such a senior writer to make such
a ridiculous and callous remark that foreigners are better than Indian at Yoga
though being non vegetarians! It clearly shows that Aakar Patel doesn’t know
what is Yoga. Yoga is not a sport that you compare between nations or
individuals like tennis, football or sprinting. Yoga is achieving union between
body and mind. It is more of a personal experience. Again what is the basis on
which he is claiming that foreigners are better at Yoga? Does he have any
statistical data to prove his point?
a ridiculous and callous remark that foreigners are better than Indian at Yoga
though being non vegetarians! It clearly shows that Aakar Patel doesn’t know
what is Yoga. Yoga is not a sport that you compare between nations or
individuals like tennis, football or sprinting. Yoga is achieving union between
body and mind. It is more of a personal experience. Again what is the basis on
which he is claiming that foreigners are better at Yoga? Does he have any
statistical data to prove his point?
5. How has vegetarianism become associated with caste,
religion, race or country? Food is a personal choice irrespective of his economic
or religious status. Constant association of vegetarianism with upper castes,
Hindus and India are digressive to the complete essence of what vegetarianism
is.
religion, race or country? Food is a personal choice irrespective of his economic
or religious status. Constant association of vegetarianism with upper castes,
Hindus and India are digressive to the complete essence of what vegetarianism
is.
6. Aakar feels that vegetarianism has not helped India.
He dares further to say that Indians have highest incidence of diabetes &
cardiovascular diseases because of vegetarianism. Let us debunk his fictitious
claims once again. According to a WHO reports, the countries with the highest
rate of deaths due to cardiovascular diseases include Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan,
Mongolia, Russia, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Guyana, Uzbekistan followed by
Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary & Argentina. Diabetes has higher prevalence in
North America and Caribbean island followed by Middle East & North Africa.
He dares further to say that Indians have highest incidence of diabetes &
cardiovascular diseases because of vegetarianism. Let us debunk his fictitious
claims once again. According to a WHO reports, the countries with the highest
rate of deaths due to cardiovascular diseases include Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan,
Mongolia, Russia, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Guyana, Uzbekistan followed by
Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary & Argentina. Diabetes has higher prevalence in
North America and Caribbean island followed by Middle East & North Africa.
7. He audaciously links low life expectancy of India with
vegetarianism. Low Life expectancy is attributed to malnutrition, poor health
care infrastructure, poverty, inefficiency in allocation of schemes and
resources and lot of other factors but vegetarianism. (Wonder how a leading
newspaper publishes such fallacious remarks?)
vegetarianism. Low Life expectancy is attributed to malnutrition, poor health
care infrastructure, poverty, inefficiency in allocation of schemes and
resources and lot of other factors but vegetarianism. (Wonder how a leading
newspaper publishes such fallacious remarks?)
8. According to Mr.. Patel, vegetarianism is the root
cause of differences and animosities within different communities living in
India. It produces hatred against Muslims? When there are equal number of
Hindus, Sikhs, Parsis & Christians as Muslims who eat non vegetarian food,
why should vegetarianism select only Muslims for hatred? The only divisive
force in our country is politics which instills seeds of hatred within
communities for its proliferation.
cause of differences and animosities within different communities living in
India. It produces hatred against Muslims? When there are equal number of
Hindus, Sikhs, Parsis & Christians as Muslims who eat non vegetarian food,
why should vegetarianism select only Muslims for hatred? The only divisive
force in our country is politics which instills seeds of hatred within
communities for its proliferation.
9. Vegetarianism is a way of life that believes in
coexisting with the nature in perfect unison. It involves planning trees,
paying reverence to nature, caring for the other species of animals around us.
It makes one more sensitive towards others’ needs and emotions. It involves
imbibing energy within body from plant sources. Without proper understanding of
what vegetarianism is, Mr. Patel should not be intimidated by its virtues.
Vegetarianism doesn’t divide people; on the contrary it is all encompassing and
compassionate form of mutual existence.
coexisting with the nature in perfect unison. It involves planning trees,
paying reverence to nature, caring for the other species of animals around us.
It makes one more sensitive towards others’ needs and emotions. It involves
imbibing energy within body from plant sources. Without proper understanding of
what vegetarianism is, Mr. Patel should not be intimidated by its virtues.
Vegetarianism doesn’t divide people; on the contrary it is all encompassing and
compassionate form of mutual existence.
10. It is easier to condemn and criticize thoughts and
practices that are different from our own mannerisms. But adopting and
celebrating the differences around us (that are nowhere harmful to anybody or
society) is one of the many virtues of being vegetarian. Let us show maturity
in expressing our solidarity to Leonardo Di Caprio and the entire panel who is
discussing undisputed role of vegetarianism towards a better planet.
practices that are different from our own mannerisms. But adopting and
celebrating the differences around us (that are nowhere harmful to anybody or
society) is one of the many virtues of being vegetarian. Let us show maturity
in expressing our solidarity to Leonardo Di Caprio and the entire panel who is
discussing undisputed role of vegetarianism towards a better planet.
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