NEW DELHI: Ramdev on Friday submitted an undertaking before the Delhi High Court saying he would not make or share any further disparaging remarks on social media similar to his controversial “sharbat jihad” comment against Hamdard’s Rooh Afza.
The statement was made during the hearing of a lawsuit filed by Hamdard National Foundation India against Ramdev and Patanjali Foods Ltd over his alleged defamatory comments. Hamdard had complained that while promoting Patanjali’s “gulab sharbat”, Ramdev claimed earnings from Rooh Afza were being used to build madrasas and mosques.
On April 22, the court had directed Ramdev and Patanjali to file an affidavit confirming they would not make any further disparaging statements, posts or videos aimed at competitors’ products.
On May 1, Justice Amit Bansal found the “sharbat jihad” remark indefensible and said it had shaken the court’s conscience. The judge ordered immediate removal of the social media content with Ramdev’s counsel assuring the court that this would be done.
However, during Friday’s hearing, Hamdard’s lawyer pointed out that instead of removing the YouTube video as directed, Ramdev’s team had merely made it private.
Ramdev’s counsel responded by saying his client had “great respect for the court” and that its directions would be obeyed, also asking the court to dispose of the case. The court directed Ramdev’s legal team to file a formal affidavit the same day, and noted that a similar undertaking had been submitted by Patanjali Foods Ltd. The matter is now listed for May 9.
The controversy began on April 3 when Ramdev, while promoting Patanjali’s Gulab Sharbat, launched an attack on Hamdard’s Rooh Afza, accusing the company of using its profits to fund religious institutions like mosques and madrasas, and used the term “sharbat jihad” in the video.