'Rooh Afza' row: Digvijaya Singh demands action against Baba Ramdev

Bhopal, April 15 Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh on Tuesday accused Yoga guru Baba Ramdev of "inciting religious sentiments" in an attempt to increase the sale of his products by "misleading" the people.

In a written complaint submitted at T. T. Nagar police station in Bhopal, veteran Congress leader alleged that in a video shared from Ramdev's official social media handle (X), he has used the term "Sharbat Jihad" for promoting Patanjali’s latest rose-flavoured sharbat.

"Ramdev has hurt the religious sentiments, and the way he has targeted a particular community may lead to communal violence. He has deliberately tried to create disturbances among the people of different religious communities, and this is an offence under Article 199 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS)," Singh said.

He added, "Therefore, I would request T. T. police to lodge an FIR against Ramdev and take an appropriate action against him," Digvijaya Singh said in his written complaint filed on Tuesday. Calling Ramdev as "vyapari" baba, Congress leader said the latter has deliberately opposed 'Rooh Afza' sarbat, because its maker belongs to the Muslim community.

"Hamdard company, which produces ‘Rooh Afza', is around 100 years old and a trusted brand in the country. Using the religious sentiments for business purposes is an offence," he added.

Meanwhile, Digvijaya Singh also hit out at the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government for being biased in allotting lands for Ramdev's companies in the state. He alleged that the state government has allotted lands worth more than Rs 1000 crore.

"Madhya Pradesh government has allocated lands for investment purposes, several years have passed, and no industry has been set up on these lands, which includes 500 acres in Satna, 200 acres in Shivpuri, 150 acres in Jhabua and many other parts of the state. Why BJP government not cancelled the lease of lands allotted to Ramdev's company?" Singh questioned during a press conference here in Bhopal on Tuesday.

Notably, in the video, Baba Ramdev was heard slamming 'Rooh Afza’, claiming that a company selling sharbat is using the money earned from it to build mosques and madrasas. He further warned that consuming such products could promote "Sharbat Jihad."

"There’s a company that gives you sharbat, but the money it earns is used to construct madrasas and mosques," said Baba Ramdev in a video, warning people that, "If you drink that sharbat, madrasas and mosques will be built. But if you drink this (Patanjali’s rose sharbat), gurukuls and Acharya Kulam will be built and developed, and Patanjali University will expand."

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