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"Sharbat Jihad": Baba Ramdev Targets Rooh Afza While Promoting Patanjali Brand

Despite several warnings, including from the Supreme Court earlier this year, the self-proclaimed yoga guru has ignited a fresh row, targeting popular soft drink brand Rooh Afza, claiming the profits earned from the brand are being used to build madrasas and mosques.

Baba Ramdev - Roof Afza Edited by

"Sharbat Jihad": Baba Ramdev Targets Rooh Afza While Promoting Patanjali Brand (Image: screengrab from X@shashank_ssj)

Baba Ramdev, yoga practitioner and businessman, has several cases against him for promoting Patanjali Ayurved products through misleading advertisements related to Divya Pharmacy, the marketing arm of the company. The controversial figure has been under fire for the past few years, facing at least 26 cases in various courts across Kerala alone for violating the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act of 1954.

Of late, despite several warnings, including from the Supreme Court earlier this year, the self-proclaimed yoga guru has ignited a fresh row, targeting popular soft drink brand Rooh Afza, claiming the profits earned from the brand are being used to build madrasas and mosques. He also urged people to refrain from consuming this product while promoting Patanjali’s rose sharbat.

Read Also: Kerala Court Issues Non-Bailable Warrant Against Baba Ramdev

“If you drink that sharbat, madrasas and mosques will be built. “But if you drink this [referring to Patanjali’s rose sharbat], gurukuls will be built, Acharya Kulam will be developed, Patanjali University will expand, and the Bharatiya Shiksha Board will grow,” the guru said.

The controversial guru also referred the brand as a kind of “Sharbat jihad,” urging people to protect themselves from the Jihad. “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,” Patanjali said in a video shared on social media.

Rooh Afza is one of the most popular soft drink brands in northern India, especially during the summer seasons. “Muhabath Ka Sharbath” (drink of love), one of the popular beverages made out of Rooh Afza, rose syrup, watermelon, and milk, quenches summer thirst while making one feel refreshed instantly.

Read Also: Fish Extract In Patanjali ‘Veg’ Product, Delhi High Court Issues Notice

Earlier, the Supreme Court had temporarily banned Patanjali’s ads after the Indian Medical Association (IMA) filed a plea against the company for misleading claims about its products. The court had also issued contempt of court notices after Patanjali’s co-founder Ramdev repeated his misleading claims.

The top court had also slammed the Union government for its inaction against Patanjali Ayurved. Following a Supreme Court direction, Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved issued an unconditional apology for publishing misleading advertisements, and for the press conference that later violated court orders.

Recently, a Kerala court issued non-bailable warrants against Ramdev after he failed to appear in a criminal case filed by the Kerala Drugs Inspector against Divya Pharmacy over alleged misleading medical advertisements.

How netizens react 

Netizens on social media have reacted to the yoga guru’s latest video, accusing him of spreading hatred. Sharing a picture of Rooh Afza and a snap from Ramdev’s video, an X user, Vini Kohli, wrote, “Mohabbat wala / Nafrat wala, which one are you drinking?”

Dr. Arunesh Yadav, Spokesperson of National Media In charge, Congress party OBC department, asked the Yoga guru how low he will stoop to sell his sherbet. “We will only drink #RoohAfza,” the doctor wrote on X.

 

Topics
Baba Ramdev Baba Ramdev - Roof Afza Muhabath Ka Sharbat Patanjali Brand Rooh Afza Sharbat Jihad

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