New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday came down heavily on Patanjali founder Baba Ramdev for making communal remarks against the pharmaceutical and food company Hamdard and its iconic beverage Rooh Afza.
The court expressed deep concern over the statements made by Ramdev and warned of issuing a stern order.
The observations came during a preliminary hearing in a suit filed by Hamdard against Ramdev and Patanjali.
Justice Amit Bansal, hearing the matter, remarked, “It shocks the conscience of the court. Indefensible.”
The court also directed the counsel, representing Ramdev, to remain present in court after seeking necessary instructions.
The controversy stems from a video dated April three, in which Ramdev, while promoting Patanjali’s Gulab Sharbat, referred to Hamdard’s Rooh Afza and accused the company of using its profits to fund masjids and madrasas.
He went further to use the term “sharbat jihad” in the video, sparking widespread condemnation.
Congress leader Digvijaya Singh subsequently filed a police complaint in Bhopal, accusing Ramdev of inciting religious hatred.
Ramdev, however, later defended his remarks, claiming he had not named any specific brand in the video.
Appearing for Hamdard, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi told the court that Ramdev’s actions went beyond mere disparagement of a product. “This is a case which is shocking, which goes beyond disparagement. This is a case of creating communal divide, akin to hate speech. It will not have protection under the law of defamation,” he said.
Rohatgi argued that such content should not be allowed even momentarily, adding, “We already have enough problems in the country.”
Rohatgi further informed the court that Ramdev had also targeted another Muslim-owned company, Himalaya.
He recalled that the Supreme Court had previously passed strictures against Ramdev for his remarks against allopathy. In a lighter moment, he acknowledged that he had once appeared for Ramdev, saying, “I was on the wrong side then.”
“A hard hand is required to nip this in the bud,” Rohatgi urged.
Hamdard was represented by a team of legal experts, including Senior Advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Sandeep Sethi, along with advocates Pravin Anand, Dhruv Anand, Nikhil Rohatgi, Udita Patro, Shivender Singh Pratap, Dhananjay Khanna, Nimrat Singh, Sampurnaa Sanyal, Navdeep, and Mehak Khanna.
UNI
