Jagadish ‘Jaggi’ Vasudev, also known as Sadhguru, was a guest on The Daily Show, hosted by comedian Trevor Noah. “TONIGHT: @SadhguruJV is here to discuss the Save Soil movement,” the official tweet read. Sadhguru’s ‘Save Soil’ campaign is touted as a way to prevent desertification.
The Daily Show, a popular late-night show, giving a platform to Sadhguru has resulted in mixed reactions. Several users questioned if Noah’s team put in adequate research before inviting him on the show while some appreciated the show for giving the cause a platform.
Journalist Isaac Chotiner tweeted, “Could Trevor Noah or anyone at The Daily Show not Google this sinister clown for 90 seconds before inviting him on the show, or do they just not care?”
Another user wrote, “Dearest Trevor, surely you have a legit team of people who research the bonafide of people on your programme.... Or do you not! @Trevornoah.”
“So much for the environment (not to mention the fact that he has advocated violence against opponents of the Modi regime),” an user wrote while sharing an article from Newslaundry which reported that Sadhguru’s ‘Isha Yoga’ campus was built on an Adivasi hamlet in Tamil Nadu without environmental clearance.
“What's next @TheDailyShow , "Donald Trump is here to discuss #WomensDay,” a tweet read.
“The @TheDailyShow clearly didn't check in with former correspondents @hasanminhaj or even @iamjohnoliver who might have advised them not to platform a misogynist, who supports an authoritarian regime, is accused of killing his wife and stealing forest land from indigenous people,” a Twitter user wrote.
An environmentalist Dr Prakash Kashwan critiqued the approach taken by ‘Save Soil’ and wrote that The Daily Show made a ‘serious error of judgment’. “Not sure where to start this thread, but @Trevornoah & @TheDailyShow have made a serious error of judgment in giving platform to a known charlatan. As others have pointed, we wish they'd spent more time researching this gentleman before having him on,” Kashwan wrote.
He wrote in the thread, “We've been thinking about this for long: ‘Scientists, corporations, mystics, and movie stars have convinced policymakers around the world that a massive campaign to plant trees should be an essential element of global climate policy.’”
Kashwan also shared articles critiquing the idea that tree planting alone can be considered to be ‘ecological restoration’.
Sharing a piece in The Hindu, Kashwan tweeted, “If you read the article, you'd know that the journalist anticipated being "attacked" for writing this. And, she was viciously attacked by the (right wing) trolls that are a permanent presence on the Indian twitter. Inviting charlatans = open invitation to the trolls.”
Some appreciated the conversation between Sadhguru and Trevor Noah hailing the ‘Save Soil’ movement as the need of the hour.
“Great conversation between @SadhguruJV and @Trevornoah ! Couldn't be more clear about what's needed: #SaveSoil,” one user wrote, while another tweeted, “What an awesome interview, @Trevornoah !! Sadhguru was so eloquent and and it was wonderful to listen to both of your conversation. Would love to listen more…”
One tweet read, “This is a huge deal! Great to see this topic of soil extinction catching fire in the west. If you don't know already, according to the @UNFAO - We have only 60 years of Soil left. Soil degradation will affect us globally.”
A social media user shared, “We are so lucky to be alive at a moment in time where we use the television/streaming platforms to share and get together for topics that truly matter for our planet. #SaveSoil and @SadhguruJV on @TheDailyShow is a wonderful step in this direction.”
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