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Sonam Slams Sri Sri Ravi Shankar For His Regressive Homosexuality Remark, Alia Joins The Team

byJinal Bhatt
14th November 2017
3 minute read

In India, godmen have always held a certain thrall over their devotees and followers. Which is why it is all the more necessary that they measure their words carefully before they say something that might be misconstrued. Or worse, start a harsh debate.

On Monday, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s speech at the JNU included a few such comments. In an answer to a student’s question about homosexuality, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said that it was a tendency rather than a permanent state.

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The spiritual leader’s answer does not blend well with his previous stances, where he has claimed that calling someone a criminal because of their sexual preference is absurd.

A remark like this was bound to see its fair share of backlash. One of the first responses to the spiritual guru’s comment came from Sonam Kapoor.

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The actress shared her displeasure with a series of tweets condemning the statement.

She suggested better proponents of Hinduism and culture who are prominent, educated individuals and, according to her, more credible than most godmen.

She also explained that homosexuality is inherent and normal.

But that wasn’t the end of her rant. She even took to her Instagram Stories to share her frustration…

… and endorse her own argument.

Sonam’s outrage received support from a few quarters.

1. We’re unsure whether Alia Bhatt is referring to the Paresh Rawal and Akshay Kumar starrer Oh My God, which was about a common man getting the better of godmen, or the fact that this is a shocking statement indeed.

2. Sonam called him a better authority on Hinduism and culture. His tweet proves why!

Unfortunately, while spiritual leaders have the power to bring people together, their followers’ undying devotion to them also means that they will defend their guruji at every occasion.

1. Don’t talk unless you’re an expert.

2. Irresponsible to pick one statement out of context?

3. Here’s a laundry list of all of Sri Sri’s previous statements in favour of homosexuality.

4. ‘Tendency’ is not a bad thing!

5. And then there was this guy, who is the world’s foremost authority on sexuality. NOT.

https://twitter.com/karpagaprasanna/status/930304631443374081

6. Of course, someone had to resort to argumentum ad hominem, which is a strategy to counter an argument by attacking your opponents character or past actions.

7. And this has something to do with nepotism why?

8. Finally, there was someone with first-hand knowledge of what was actually spoken and who had a sound argument to offer instead of trolls and blind rage.

https://twitter.com/shilpitewari/status/930276280888467456

https://twitter.com/shilpitewari/status/930278615182327809

Chances are, the above debate might rage on for quite a while. A lot more people will jump in and offer their version of what was said and their opinion of what was construed.

Props can be given to fair, logical reasoning on both sides; however, the kind of blind loyalty that followers of godmen inspire, this expectation may become difficult to fulfil.

As for the reality, in today’s world, that is unfortunately a ‘tendency’ too. Though we wish it were permanent.

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