Ramdev's sharbat jihad video goes viral: 'Funds used to build mosques, madrasas'

The video was shared by ‘Patanjali Products’ on Facebook with a caption in Hindi

Yoga guru Ramdev is once again at the centre of a controversy after he used the term “sharbat jihad” in a viral video while promoting Patanjali juices.

In the 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.

According to him, the company’s sharbat helps fund the construction of mosques and madrasas,. Ramdev also said the money earned from Patanjali sharbat will support gurukuls, Acharyakulam, Patanjali University, and the Bharatiya Shiksha Board.

“But if you drink that sharbat, it supports the construction of mosques and madrasas. On the other hand, if you drink Patanjali’s rose sharbat, it supports the setting up of Gurukuls, Acharyakulam, Patanjali University, and the Bharatiya Shiksha Board. That’s why I say, just like there is love jihad and vote jihad, there is also sharbat jihad. So, you must protect yourself from this sharbat jihad," he said.

The video sparked a range of reactions in the social media. The netizens quickly pointed out that Ramdev was referring to the popular drink Rooh Afza.

Hate against Baba Ramdev for being a successful business is uncalled for.Now theyre targeting him for introducing sharbat to take an Islamic brand.pic.twitter.com/0wr40cF6qB
Shashank Shekhar Jha (@shashank_ssj) April 9, 2025

In an X post, a user criticised Ramdev for "selling his low-quality Patanjali Sharbat by playing the Hindu-Muslim Card." "The same Ramdev sold his Patanjali products in the Middle East by obtaining Halal Certification for some of its products, particularly those intended for export to Gulf countries," he said.

"We got Rooh Afza being called 'Sharbat Jihad' before GTA 6. Ab lagta hai phir se maafi mangni padegi," another user posted.

Earlier, Ramdev was embroiled in controversy after the Supreme Court directed him to apologise for claiming that Patanjali products could “cure” serious illnesses.