Delhi High Court Slams Baba Ramdev Over “Sharbat Jihad” Remarks on Rooh Afza: Calls Comments ‘Indefensible’ and Communally Divisive

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday came down heavily on yoga guru Baba Ramdev over his controversial remarks branding the popular drink Rooh Afza as part of a so-called “sharbat jihad.” The court was hearing a petition filed by Hamdard Laboratories, the makers of Rooh Afza, alleging that Ramdev’s comments amounted to hate speech and sought to stoke communal tensions.

The court observed that Baba Ramdev’s statements were “indefensible” and “shock the conscience of the court.” “This kind of language, particularly when directed at a widely consumed product like Rooh Afza, crosses the line from competition into communal provocation,” the bench remarked during the proceedings.

Baba Ramdev had earlier stated, “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.”

He further added, “Just like there is love jihad, this is also a kind of sharbat jihad. To protect yourself from this sharbat jihad, this message must reach everyone.”

These remarks prompted Hamdard to approach the court, citing serious concerns over communal disharmony and reputational damage. Representing Hamdard, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi said, “This is a case which is shocking, which goes beyond disparagement. This is a case of creating a communal divide, akin to hate speech. It will not have protection from the law of defamation.”

The court expressed agreement with Rohatgi’s arguments and asked Ramdev’s counsel to explain how such comments could be justified in a democratic and secular society. “You are not just promoting a product, you are maligning another brand with communally loaded language. This is unacceptable,” the bench said.