Digvijaya Singh Calls for Action Against Baba Ramdev Over 'Rooh Afza' Remarks

Synopsis

Digvijaya Singh has formally accused Baba Ramdev of inciting religious sentiments to increase product sales. He filed a complaint alleging Ramdev's remarks about 'Rooh Afza' could incite communal violence. Singh also criticized the Madhya Pradesh government for favoring Ramdev's businesses.

Key Takeaways

Digvijaya Singh accuses Baba Ramdev of inciting religious sentiments.
Complaint filed over remarks regarding 'Rooh Afza'.
Concerns raised about potential communal violence.
Criticism directed at the Madhya Pradesh government for land allocations.
Baba Ramdev's comments challenged on social media.

Bhopal, April 15 (NationPress) Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh on Tuesday accused Yoga guru Baba Ramdev of "provoking religious sentiments" to boost the sales of his products by "misleading" the public.

In a formal complaint lodged at the T. T. Nagar police station in Bhopal, the seasoned Congress leader claimed that in a video shared from Ramdev's official social media account (X), he referred to "Sharbat Jihad" to endorse Patanjali’s new rose-flavored sharbat.

Singh stated, "Ramdev has offended religious sentiments, and his focus on a specific community could incite communal violence. He has intentionally sought to stir discord among diverse religious groups, which constitutes an offense under Article 199 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS)."

He further remarked, "Thus, I urge the T. T. police to file an FIR against Ramdev and act accordingly," Singh noted in his written complaint submitted on Tuesday. Referring to Ramdev as "vyapari" baba, the Congress leader stated that the latter has deliberately opposed 'Rooh Afza' sharbat because its manufacturer belongs to the Muslim community.

"The Hamdard company, which produces ‘Rooh Afza’, has been a reliable brand for nearly 100 years in the country. Exploiting religious feelings for commercial gain is a crime," he added.

Additionally, Digvijaya Singh criticized the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government for its partiality in allocating land to Ramdev's enterprises within the state. He alleged that the state has granted land valued at over Rs 1000 crore.

"The Madhya Pradesh government has designated lands for investment purposes; many years have elapsed without any industry being established on these sites, which include 500 acres in Satna, 200 acres in Shivpuri, 150 acres in Jhabua, among others. Why hasn't the BJP government canceled the leases for the lands given to Ramdev's company?" Singh questioned during a press conference in Bhopal on Tuesday.

Notably, in the video, Baba Ramdev criticized 'Rooh Afza' , alleging that a company selling sharbat uses its profits to construct mosques and madrasas. He cautioned that consuming such products could lead to "Sharbat Jihad."

"There’s a company that sells you sharbat, but the revenue it generates is used to build madrasas and mosques," Baba Ramdev stated in the video, warning, "If you consume that sharbat, madrasas and mosques will be established. However, if you choose this (Patanjali’s rose sharbat), gurukuls and Acharya Kulam will be created and developed, along with the expansion of Patanjali University."