Delhi HC pulls up Ramdev for 'sharbat jihad' remark: 'Shocks conscience of court'

The company accused Ramdev of making defamatory and communal statements targeting its product.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday pulled up Baba Ramdev for his recent "sharbat jihad" comment aimed at Hamdard’s popular drink Rooh Afza.

“It shocks the conscience of the court. This is indefensible,” Justice Amit Bansal said while hearing Hamdard's suit against the Yoga Guru.

The company accused Ramdev of making defamatory and communal statements targeting its product. On April 3, Ramdev claimed that the pharmaceutical and food company was using its money for building masjids and madrasas. “There’s a company that gives you sharbat, but the money it earns is used to construct madrasas and mosques,” Ramdev alleged.

According to LiveLaw, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appeared for Hamdard and submitted that it was a shocking case that goes beyond the disparagement of Rooh Afza product but also is a case of “communal divide".

He said that Ramdev's remarks is akin to a hate speech.

Rohatgi also said that by his remarks, Ramdev has attacked Hamdard on the basis of religion as he named it “sharbat jihad".

In a video, he claimed that a company selling sharbat is using its earnings to build mosques and madrasas, while promoting Patanjali’s rose sharbat.

The video was shared by ‘Patanjali Products’ on Facebook with a caption in Hindi. “Protect your family and innocent children from the poison of toilet cleaners being sold in the name of soft drinks and 'sharbat jihad'. Bring home only Patanjali Sharbat and Juices,” it read.

The Yoga guru also slammed soft drinks and comparing them to toilet cleaner consumed in the name of quenching thirst during the summer.

“In the name of quenching thirst during summers, people drink cold beverages that are basically toilet cleaners. On one side, there’s the attack of toilet-cleaner-like poison, and on the other, there’s a company selling sharbat, which uses the money earned from it to build mosques and madrasas. That’s fine, it’s their religion,” Ramdev said.