A Twitter spat broke out between Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, the billionaire founder entrepreneur and Managing Director of Biocoin Limited and T.V. Mohandas Pai, another billionaire and Chairman of Manipal Global Education who was the former director of IT giant Infosys. The spat was on the comment of another billionaire and industry leader Adi Godrej, chairman of Godrej Group.
While addressing a gathering to celebrate the 150th anniversary of his alma mater St Xavier’s College, Mumbai, Godrej said, “It’s not all a rosy picture now. One must not lose sight of the massive impoverishment plaguing our nation which can seriously damage the pace of growth going forward and prevent us from realising our potential.”
The industry veteran claimed that the rising intolerance can damage economic growth of the country. “Rising intolerance, social instability, hate crimes, violence against women, moral policing, caste and religion-based violence and many other sorts of intolerance that are rampant,” added Godrej.
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw supported his statement and wrote on Twitter quoting an NDTV article. She wrote, “Rising Intolerance, Hate Crimes Can “Seriously Damage” Growth: Adi Godrej – well spoken.”
Rising Intolerance, Hate Crimes Can "Seriously Damage" Growth: Adi Godrej – well spoken https://t.co/Tg4YNstfGG
— Kiran Mazumdar Shaw (@kiranshaw) July 13, 2019
Mohandas Pai replied, “So you are falling into the trap of the fake @ndtv narrative! Pl look at data before you comment! @ARanganathan72 has given out data, @ndtv runs a one sided narrative @swati_gs has exposed fake narrative! Pl do not jump to conclusions without looking at all data.”
So you are falling into the trap of the fake @ndtv narrative! Pl look at data before you comment! @ARanganathan72 has given out data, @ndtv runs a one sided narrative @swati_gs has exposed fake narrative! Pl do not jump to conclusions without looking at all data https://t.co/ecohBOsA4D
— Mohandas Pai (@TVMohandasPai) July 13, 2019
“Mohan he says economy is not in good shape n we shd not be in denial,” replied Shaw to pai.
Mohan he says economy is not in good shape n we shd not be in denial.
— Kiran Mazumdar Shaw (@kiranshaw) July 13, 2019
Pai used data to defend his point and quoted growth data. He also said that business leaders should not abuse India. “@kiranshaw we grew at 6% in Q4, yes it is down, but world is growing at 3.5%. We should grow at 8% the reason is specific, not any crime that happens @ARanganathan72 @TheJaggi Why are we creating this unnecessary negativism?is this what business leaders should do? Abuse India?,” replied Pai.
@kiranshaw we grew at 6% in Q4, yes it is down, but world is growing at 3.5%. We should grow at 8% the reason is specific, not any crime that happens @ARanganathan72 @TheJaggi Why are we creating this unnecessary negativism?is this what business leaders should do? Abuse India? https://t.co/Zdo8dW59Mk
— Mohandas Pai (@TVMohandasPai) July 14, 2019
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw replied, “Adi Godrej is not abusing India. That’s a harsh n unfair word. He wants us to be a world leader.” “Why r we denying ourselves to be a happy prosperous nation by removing negativity all around? We hv seen UPA play caste politics n now with the people’s mandate NDA must try n obliterate this caste politics. Isn’t even our own state filled with caste politics?,” she added.
Why r we denying ourselves to be a happy prosperous nation by removing negativity all around? We hv seen UPA play caste politics n now with the people’s mandate NDA must try n obliterate this caste politics. Isn’t even our own state filled with caste politics?
— Kiran Mazumdar Shaw (@kiranshaw) July 14, 2019
The spat between two billionaires and industry leaders on comment of another billionaire has gone viral on the social media platform. Both billionaires maintained decency on the platform and when someone used abusive language against Pai, Shaw advised him to not to do so. “Don’t use abusive language. You may hv differences but Mohan Das Pai is a proud Indian who has done a lot for the economic progress of our country,” tweeted Shaw.
Don’t use abusive language. You may hv differences but Mohan Das Pai is a proud Indian who has done a lot for the economic progress of our country.
— Kiran Mazumdar Shaw (@kiranshaw) July 14, 2019
Pai is known as supporter of Modi government and actively defended the policies on social media and in newspaper columns. On the other hand, Shaw and Adi Godrej come out as supporter of Nehruvian secularism.
