Baba Ramdev introduces new sharbat, accuses rival of 'sharbat jihad', faces backlash

CONTROVERSIAL yoga guru Baba Ramdev has now introduced a sharbat, a soft drink prepared from fruit or flower petals, amid the ongoing heat wave, but his sales pitch is drawing flak for communally divisive remarks.

Aiming at the market leader Rooh Afza, a drink sold by Hamdard Laboratories since 1906, Ramdev took  exception to its Muslim ownership and said in his podcast that "the revenue generated from it goes towards ‘building madrasas and mosques’."

He exhorted buyers to protect themselves from 'sharbat jihad' and buy only Patanjali Sharbat and Juices, "so that gurukuls will be built, Acharya Kulam will be developed".

He also slammed the popular soft drink brands by comparing them to "toilet cleaners".

“Protect your family and innocent children from the poison of toilet cleaners being sold in the name of soft drinks," he said.

The video has gone viral on social media, and Ramdev is being slammed for promoting Patanjali sharbat as a 'Hindu drink' and using Islamophobia as a marketing strategy.

Some users have exhorted Hamdard to take legal action against the yoga guru for defaming their company.

Others pointed out that Sharbat was introduced to India by the Mughals in the 16th century and was popularised by Babur, hence, Ramdev should not be manufacturing and promoting a drink with an Islamic past.

Meanwhile, Hamdard posted a video on its X (formerly Twitter) handle on Thursday (10), showing the rigorous quality checks undertaken by the company while making Rooh Afza.

The text read, "At RoohAfza, quality comes first! From sourcing raw materials to the final product, every bottle undergoes rigorous microbiological, chemical, and physical tests to ensure it retains its natural properties, consistency, and safety."

Baba Ramdev and his company Patanjali Ayurved have been accused of making unsubstantiated claims about its products, including promises to cure diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and Covid-19.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had earlier filed a plea against Ramdev, his aide Balkrishna and Patanjali Ayurved, for carrying out a smear campaign against the Covid vaccination drive and modern systems of medicine.

The Supreme Court had to file a contempt notice against Ramdev, Balkrishna and Patanjali Ayurved because even after assuring the court that they would not make any casual statements against any system of medicine, Ramdev had questioned the efficacy of allopathic remedies to treat blood pressure.

The court closed the contempt proceedings last August after they tendered an apology and took steps to rectify their mistakes.