Swadeshi Aandolan of Patanjali

   What is the fundamental philosophy behind the Patanjali providing service regarding swadeshi and other subjects. Pujya Swami Jee said that the foreign companies conduct deep analysis to market and users and consumption of products before making foray to any country for business purpose. They ponder over that how much they will earn by investing their capital there. Their entire philosophy is based on the market. Every Indian is the customer for them, while the Patanjali considers India a family instead of market.

If we talk about market scenario, there were 16 lakh registered companies in India till last year. The Finance Ministry ordered to close around 4-5 lakh companies this year so far because they engaged in no activity. Not a single firm out of remaining 12 lakh companies is committed to pump its 100 percent revenue in the charity. It’s the Patanjali which is committed to invest its entire 100 percent profit in the charity. Param Pujya Swami Jee continues to give glimpse of swadeshi. Param Pujya Swami Jee has asked us to reject foreign companies of zero technique and adopt swadeshi. Earlier, whenever the swadeshi was discussed, then technique was opposed. Pujya Swami Jee Maharaj has shown practicality over it. Maharshi Dayanand was of view that truth has to be determined on the basis of logic. Based on the logic, he determined that we must oppose zero technique and develop our own technique.
Our great personalities supported swadeshi wholeheartedly. About Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Jee said that he may share different ideologically with him. But Mahatma Gandhi was great in some issues. He had proposed a theory in those days that he didn’t want socialism in this country. The communist countries have different atmosphere than that of India. Gandhi Jee had given the theory of trusteeship. According to him, those who run factories and institutions should keep their profit required for their maintenance and provide rest of money to country, society and charity. After assassination of Gandhi Jee, Jai Prakash Narayan Jee expressed the similar views. George Fernandez reiterated this in the Parliament. He wanted that the government brings such bill convincing the capitalists to pump their money in the charity work. After great efforts, the government brought bill over Corporate Social Responsibility in which it was decided that the companies will invest 2 percent of their profit in their social service. The trusteeship theory given by Mahatma Gandhi was not implemented in the country after 70 years. The Patanjali is the only institution which has realized the dream of bringing trusteeship in the country. The Patanjali has offered everything for the country and the society. Our theory is that whatever we will do, will do for service. The Patanjali industry is for service to the nation. The Patanjali makes various products for human being. It’s a saint who runs the Patanjali.

If we talk about taking the country on the path of prosperity, there are various great personalities. They include Dr Vikram Sarabhai upon which Pujya Swami Jee Maharaj has twitted. All of you must have heard of Chandrayan which was dispatched from ISRO. Sarabhai played an important role in the setting up of ISRO. He was the  great warrior of swadeshi. Dr Bhabha was the guru of Sarabhai. Dr Bhabha was instrumental behind nuclear energy in independence era. He set up a lab at his garage in the house to start swadeshi. He made great contribution behind India becoming world power in atomic energy field. We are competent enough that we can dispatch our own satellite. Today, we are able to make missile. You must have heard about Missile Man Dr APJ Abdul Kalam who was also the great warrior of swadeshi. He was born through swadeshi movement and ideology. Dr Sarabhai was instrumental behind setting up of over 40 institutions like IIM Ahmadabad and various pharma, electronic, computer firms. We are obliged to the great swadeshi warrior. Great personalities like Dr Vikram Sarabhai, Dr Bhabha, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam played important role in country’s development.

The enterprising skill makes great contribution of development of any country. The countries like Japan, Israel, America, France, etc are far ahead us regarding enterprising. They lead the entire world. If we talk about Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, etc, they lack enterprising skill. They have to import everything from other countries. The foreign countries consider the entire world as market. They think that everybody must use their products. They started corporate war among themselves. There is throat cut competition. They want to make money by any hook or crook. The poor and developing countries face the consequences. The developed countries never go to the other countries by making East India Company or taking army. They go to the other countries as multinational firms and loot the money.

For example, if you type cola war on the Google, you will get whole history regarding it. USA has two companies-- coca cola and pepsi. Former US President Jimi Carter would use aircraft owned by coca cola. Once Carter saw an employee enjoying pepsi at White House and dismissed immediately him. This type of company is so strong that they decide who will form the government, who will be the President, who will be the ministers, etc. They also indulge in getting someone killed.

In 2003, a social institution of India conducted research on pepsi and coke that how many insecticides they have. Erstwhile US NSA  Collin Powel made threatening call to Sunita Narayan instructing her not to tarnish MNCs. They are so strong that they can get the regime changed. Erstwhile Union Health Minister Ambumani Ramdas visited camp organized by Param Pujya Swami Jee Maharaj at Gurgaon in 2008.  He lobbied for tobacco. He made it mandatory for the cigarette manufacturing companies to publish picture at 70 percent part, depicting that consuming tobacco causes cancer. Dr Ambumani Ramdas says that over 150 MPs made phone calls to him, requesting him not to implement such rules. I discussed it with you because the foreign companies are so powerful. Such rules and regulations work for their own.

Now, I talk about my country. Dhirubhai Ambani and Nusli Wadia engaged in corporate war in 90’s. Keerti Ambani was kept behind bar after investigation conducted by the Police Commissioner. The case was stretched till 25 years, Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister and there was a political crisis in the country. There is no norm for corporate war. The company wants to end competition from the market and controls on the entire network, markets and customers and products. Then they want to do monopoly. They are free to fix rate as they want to. For example, you must have heard about uncle chips which disappeared from the market. Uncle chips was the amrit swadeshi company and it had a brand. When pepsi launched its own brand lays, it saw that the uncle chips had control over the Indian market. It took over uncle chips at higher price. Now, it killed that product. It means it stopped supply of uncle chips. Slowly, uncle chips disappeared from the market. The people started to purchase lays instead uncle chips. It maligned the quality of uncle chips so that lays can control the market. Two-three years ago, I conducted research on the lays and found that pepsico sells lays worth Rs 800 crore yearly. Similarly, there was a OK soap which was giving stiff competition to lifebuoy prepared by Hindustan Uniliver. They found that the customers prefer OK soap to lifebuoy. Hindustan Uniliver took over OK soap to increase its reach in the market. Similarly, you must have heard about Thums-Up which was offered to the guests in the 90’s. Thums-Up, Maza, etc were the Indian brands.

When pepsi and coke launched their products in the Indian market again in 1990, then they killed all these Indian brands. First of all, they offered the Indian brands to sell their products. When they were not ready to sell it, they launched stiff competition and started to sell their products below manufacturing cost. For example, if a cold drink costs Rs 1, the company sells it at Rs 1.50. Then the foreign company started to sell it at Rs 0.70.  In those days, the cold drink was available in bottle made of glass instead of plastic. They tied up with the companies engaged in manufacturing glass bottle to buy all the bottles on condition that they won’t sell their products to the swadeshi firms. They got destroyed all the old bottles which was brought to the factories for refilling with swadeshi brands. Limca, Thums-Up, Maza, Gold Spot, etc were the swadeshi brands. There was a rimjhim named masala dosa. The foreign companies either did takeover or killed them. There are only two-three brands in the market. If you want to enjoy cold drink, you have no option but to take pepsi, coke or fanta. Foreign companies took control over the beverage. The taste of gold spot is like that to fanta. The taste of maza is like the mango juice of other brands. Chandrika soap was giving competition to Hindustan Uniliver which had purchased it. Indulekha soap was also famous in the South Indian market. Hindustan Uniliver also purchased Indulekha and Sunlight. When the foreign companies take over them, they do complete assessment and their brand value, strength, the number of outlets and retailers, customer base, market share. A common person makes such a big business empire. The foreign companies offer them huge amount. They say that if you earn Rs one crore in a year, then take Rs 10 crore and sign an agreement. During the agreement, the foreign companies ask them not to use brands, network of distribution, database of retailers, technology, plants, etc. They also make it clear that no family member will come in this field so that they can’t establish the similar brands in the market again. Colgate came in the market with a capital of Rs 1.5 lakh in 1932 and after 80 years, it became the company worth Rs 2, 000 crore. Dantkanti being run by Patanjali proved it under sheer guidance of Param Pujya Swami Jee in merely 8 years. Now, the foreign companies may share different ideologies with us, but at the same time, they agree that there is no other toothpaste than dantkanti in the world. The foreign company did takeover cibaca brand. A coalgate official said that he doesn’t want to sell this brand because it’s a swadeshi brand which has to be destroyed. We don’t supply it in the market and promote it. If the people demand it, we will convince them to buy coalgate saying that it has very less margin. He said that he doesn’t sell the products below 30 percent margin. Because, he doesn’t aim at providing service to the countrymen. You must have heard of D-cold, dermi cool, move, etc. All these products were swadeshi which was purchased by Rakit Benkaizer. Earlier, they were known as Paras Agro. Lakme brand was also swadeshi which is now Hindustan Uniliver brand. Priya Pickle is engaged in manufacturing pickle apart from many other food items. It had vast network with farmers and a big market. It was also purchased by a MNC cavin care to take control over pickle market.

If we talk about India, we spend Rs 150- Rs 200 out of Rs 1,000 over oil and ghee. Ghee and oil play an important role in kitchen trade of India’s FMCG. The foreign companies aim at oil and ghee trade.

You must have heard of kargil which wants to control India’s edible oil market. There was jaimini brand which used to manufacture edible oil. Parakh India was its owner. Kargil India bought jaimini brand and sells it as own brand. Now, kargil controls around 15-20 percent oil market. There was swadeshi brand named rath. You must have heard of DCM Shriram, the owner of this brand, which was also purchased by kargil. Other foreign company is vilmar which has tied up with Indian company. Param Pujya Swami Jee never talks about any Indian firm. Some of the Indian corporate houses are very reputed. But, they are under pressure of share holder and profit holder. Vilmar has tied up with Indian corporate houses and whatever oil it sold, sold at below Rs 10-15 per liter to end competition. They will decide the rate at which the produce will be purchased from the farmers.

I wanted to know someone’s views over quality of Patanjali oil. He replied that he takes samples of oil from the market to maintain the quality of our oil. Then the quality is checked in open lab to manufacture the oil. He said that the Patanjali oil is the purest of all. Til oil is 100 percent pure. Oil is extracted from mustard, then the rate must be decided according to mustard price.