In a significant development, Yoga guru Ramdev has committed to the Delhi High Court that he will remove all videos and social media posts containing his controversial “sharbat jihad” comments, which were aimed at Hamdard’s Rooh Afza. This assurance was given after the court sharply criticized the remarks, stating they were indefensible and shook its conscience.
The controversy erupted when Ramdev, during a promotional event for Patanjali’s ‘gulab sharbat,’ allegedly suggested that sales proceeds from Hamdard’s Rooh Afza were used to fund madrasas and mosques. Hamdard National Foundation India, which filed the plea against Ramdev’s Patanjali Foods Ltd., argued that these comments went beyond mere disparagement, touching upon issues of communal divide.
In court, Justice Amit Bansal highlighted the gravity of the accusations, urging Ramdev’s legal team to take immediate corrective action or face stringent judicial measures. “It shocks the conscience of the court. It is indefensible,” Justice Bansal remarked during the hearing.
Represented by senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Sandeep Sethi, Hamdard’s counsel described the allegations as akin to hate speech. “This amounts to hate speech. He says it is a sharbat jihad. He should carry on his business. Why is he troubling us?” Rohatgi contended.
Responding to the court’s stern warning, Ramdev’s counsel, led by senior advocate Rajiv Nayar, agreed to withdraw all contentious advertisements and posts. The court has requested Ramdev to submit an affidavit within five days, committing to refrain from making such statements or issuing similar content in the future regarding competitor products.
