'Sharbat jihad' Remarks: Will Take Down Videos, Social Media Posts, Ramdev Tells Delhi HC

Yoga guru Ramdev on Tuesday assured the Delhi High Court that he will immediately remove videos and social media posts relating to his purported "sharbat jihad" remarks on Hamdard's Rooh Afza. His statement came shortly after the court observed that the remarks shook its conscience and were indefensible.

The counsel for Hamdard apprised the court that recently, while promoting Patanjali's 'gulab sharbat', Ramdev claimed that the money earned from Hamdard's Rooh Afza was used to build madrasas and mosques. Ramdev defended his remarks, saying he did not name any brand or community.

Justice Amit Bansal, who was hearing the plea by Hamdard National Foundation India against Ramdev's Patanjali Foods Ltd., said, "It shocks the conscience of the court. It is indefensible. You (counsel for Ramdev) take instructions from your client otherwise there will be a strong order." Senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Sandeep Sethi, representing Hamdard, said the case goes beyond disparagement and it was a case of creating "communal divide".

"This amounts to hate speech. He says it is a sharbat jihad. He should carry on his business. Why is he troubling us?" Rohatgi said. When the case was again taken up after some time, Ramdev's counsel submitted that he would immediately take down all advertisements, in print or video format, and social media posts relating to his controversial remarks.

The court took on record the statement of senior advocate Rajiv Nayar and asked Ramdev to file an affidavit within five days stating that he will not issue any such statements, advertisements or social media posts in future concerning competitors' products. The court listed the matter on May 1.