NEW DELHI: Delhi high court on Tuesday reprimanded Pantanjali proprietor Ramdev for his alleged remarks against Hamdard’s Rooh Afza, accusing it of doing “Sharbat Jihad.”
A bench of justice Amit Bansal said that the remarks ‘shocks the conscience of the court, this is indefensible”
Representing Hamdard, senior advocate Mukul Rohtagi said that it was a shocking case that goes beyond the disparagement of Rooh Afza product but also is a case of “communal divide,” Live Law reported.
He added that Ramdev’s remarks are akin to hate speech as he attacked Hamdard on the basis of religion, by terming it “Sharbat Jihad.”
Meanwhile, a proxy counsel appeared for Ramdev and sought a passover. The court asked the counsel to appear at 12 pm and warned that any failure would lead to the court passing a very strong order.
This comes a month after Ramdev claimed that the money earned from Hamdard’s Rooh Afza is used to build madrasas and mosques, while promoting Patanjali’s rose sharbat.
“…There is a sherbet company, it does give sherbet but from the money it gets from the sherbet it builds madarsas and mosques. It’s alright, it’s their religion, But if you drink that sherbet mosques and madarsahs will be built,” Ramdev said in a video.
“But if you drink Patanjali’s rose sherbet gurukuls, acharyakulams, Patanjali universities, Indian education board will progress,” he said in Hindi in the video,” he added.
Later, after the controversy erupted, Ramedev defended his remark and said that he did not name any brand or community.
“I haven’t taken anybody’s name, but Rooh Afza people took ‘sherbet jihad’ on themselves. This means they are doing this ‘jihad’. If they are dedicated to Islam and are building masjids and madarsas, then they should be happy. However, the Sanatanis should understand… If someone has a problem with this, then let it be,” Ramdev said.