Even though he may not be attached to worldly affairs, Baba Ramdev has certainly not turned his back on wealth and assets. Generally, those who renounce material possessions and family life establish ashrams far from human settlements and are referred to as sages, monks, or babas. Yoga guru Ramdev is also a baba. He, too, has an ashram—nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas. However, unlike a simple hermitage, Ramdev’s ashram is a five-star establishment. Though he has personally renounced family life, his ashram is home to many householders. While he claims to be free from greed, his deep interest in wealth and commerce is evident from the financial turnover of his vast business empire.
Now, this business-focused Baba Ramdev has taken a direct jab at U.S. President Donald Trump over his trade war policies. Ramdev has labeled Trump’s reciprocal tariffs as “tariff terrorism,” strongly criticizing the American president. On Sunday, Baba Ramdev, co-founder of the FMCG giant Patanjali, lashed out at Trump, saying: “Donald Trump has ushered in a new era of intellectual colonialism. Since coming to power, he has established a vision of ‘tariff terrorism’ worldwide. By threatening poor and developing nations, Trump is tearing apart democracy. His actions amount to economic terrorism. He is leading the world into a different era. India must focus on its own development. All Indians must unite against such destructive forces.”
It is noteworthy that since assuming office on January 20, President Donald Trump has imposed higher tariffs on all imported goods into the U.S. Initially targeting China, Mexico, and Canada, he has repeatedly hinted that India will not be spared either. Against this backdrop, Baba Ramdev has now issued a stern warning to Trump.