Anand Mahindra shares video of Gujaratis doing garba on flooded street, gets slammed: 'Don't romanticise'

Anand Mahindra, Chairman of the Mahindra Group, faced backlash after sharing a video on X (formerly known as Twitter), which depicted a group of people performing garba in flood-hit Gujarat. The clip showed individuals dancing in knee-deep water, a scene that Mahindra praised by highlighting the enduring relationship between Gujarat and garba.

Mahindra's caption read, “Gujarat aur Garba. Ek gazab ka rishta…Unstoppable (Gujarat and garba, an amazing relationship).” However, the timing of the post, amid severe flooding in Gujarat that has resulted in at least 47 deaths due to rainfall-related incidents, led to considerable criticism.

Many on social media questioned the appropriateness of celebrating such resilience in the face of a natural disaster. Users argued that the video glossed over the serious challenges posed by the floods, which have severely impacted the region's infrastructure. Over recent weeks, there have been numerous reports of damage to property, including vehicles, and incidents of electrocution due to waterlogging.

One X user criticised the post by saying, “This is how billionaires make Indians feel they are one of them: Romanticise crippled infra of the country.” Another pointed out, “This shows the country is not developing."

Others expressed concern for the safety of those depicted in the video, noting the risks of dancing in waterlogged streets, especially given the reports of electrocutions. One comment highlighted the dangers: “This is actually plain stupidity from citizens. Imagine a loose livewire getting in the water. There have been multiple deaths reported due to electrocution during the recent floods in Gujarat.”