Former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has once again taken aim at yoga guru Baba Ramdev, reviving their long-running public dispute with sharp comments over Ramdev’s promotion of the “swadeshi” campaign.
Speaking at an event in Gonda on Friday, Singh questioned how Ramdev’s earlier push for Indian-made products had evolved over the years. He alleged that products being promoted under the swadeshi banner now included items he described as “spurious” as well as foreign-made goods.
Singh also took a direct swipe at Ramdev over his previous protests. He said that if the yoga guru was planning another agitation, he should be prepared for a decisive confrontation.
The former MP sarcastically recalled Ramdev’s earlier public campaigns and claimed that his position on swadeshi had changed. He also made a controversial reference to Ramdev’s clothing during past protests, saying he should not appear in “sindoor” and “salwar” and should instead fight the battle “like a man”.
Singh further raised concerns over alleged adulteration in food products, particularly ghee. He claimed that questions had repeatedly been raised about the presence of spurious ghee in the market and said he held Ramdev responsible for the situation.
How did the Brij Bhushan-Ramdev dispute begin?
The disagreement between Singh and Ramdev goes back to 2022. At the time, Singh had objected to Ramdev and Patanjali managing director Acharya Balkrishna using the Patanjali name, arguing that they had not done enough for the development of the area in Gonda associated with Maharishi Patanjali.
The dispute intensified in 2023 when Ramdev publicly supported women wrestlers who had accused Singh, then Wrestling Federation of India chief, of sexual harassment. Ramdev called for action against the former wrestling body chief.
Singh has continued to remain a controversial political figure, while his latest remarks indicate that his differences with Ramdev remain unresolved.
