Daijiworld Media Network – Bhopal

Bhopal, Apr 15: Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has filed a police complaint seeking criminal action against yoga guru Ramdev over his controversial ‘sharbat jihad’ remarks, which Singh alleged were aimed at inciting religious hatred and boosting sales of Patanjali products.

The Rajya Sabha MP approached the TT Nagar police station in Bhopal on Tuesday, urging the registration of an FIR under sections 196(1)(a) and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, along with relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act.

Singh cited a video posted by Ramdev on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, in which the yoga guru reportedly claimed that income from a rival sharbat brand was being used to fund madrasas and mosques. Singh alleged that Ramdev promoted Patanjali’s Gulab Sharbat by dubbing the rival’s product as part of a “sharbat jihad”, thereby using communal rhetoric to promote his brand.

Speaking at a press conference earlier in the day, Singh accused Ramdev of exploiting religion and nationalism to build a business empire worth cr. He said several Patanjali products had failed to meet quality standards, while some had been banned by courts.

Without directly naming Hamdard the makers of Rooh Afza Singh asserted that Ramdev’s remarks clearly targeted the company. “Objecting to Rooh Afza simply because the owners are Muslim and calling its sale ‘sharbat jihad’ is unconstitutional and amounts to hate speech,” he said.

In his police complaint, Singh stressed the need for strict legal action against Ramdev and warned that he would move court if an FIR is not registered within a week.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Rashmi Agrawal, confirmed receipt of the complaint. “We are probing the matter and will take appropriate action as per legal provisions,” she said.

The controversy has once again ignited debate around communal language in marketing and the role of public figures in maintaining social harmony.