Will Storr, The Unpersuadables: Adventures with the
Enemies of Science (New York: The Overlook Press, 2015), 38-9.
[Storr is granted
a ten-minute audience with Swami Ramdev, who is in London for a series of
lectures on yoga.]
I move on to the
reports that I have read in the Indian press of Ramdev telling children that
Coca-Cola will turn their skin dark, a powerful message for vanity-conscious
youngsters to whom pale complexions are desirable – and a statement that is
unarguably wrong. I am curious to see if Ramdev will admit to saying this as,
presumably, he is smart enough to realise that I know it to be untrue.
‘Did you once
claim Coca-Cola darkens the skin?’ I say.
His eyes slide
sideways, towards Shipra [his translator].
‘Even in the USA,
the government has banned it in schools,’ he says.
‘But did you claim
it darkens the skin?’
‘There has been
scientific research that says it can be harmful to health.’
I put down my pen.
‘But did you say
it darkens the skin? I just want to establish, for the record, if you’ve ever
claimed this.’
He looks toward
Shipra once more. I watch as a hot conference takes place between them in
Hindi. Eventually, she tells me, ‘Swamiji just says that to the kids. It’s not
necessarily true.’