After HC warns of contempt, Patanjali Ramdev to remove advt against Hamdard
This story was originally published at 16:04 IST on 1 May 2025
Register to read our real-time news.Informist, Thursday, May 1, 2025
NEW DELHI – After the Delhi High Court Thursday warned Patanjali Ayurved Ltd.'s co-founder Ramdev of contempt of court for disobeying its orders and again publishing a video containing objectionable remarks against Hamdard National Foundation India's Rooh Afza product, the yoga guru agreed to take down the video in 24 hours. Justice Amit Bansal's warning came after Ramdev disobeyed court's Apr. 22 order that he would not issue any statements, advertisements and social media posts in the future similar to the "disparaging advertisement".
"He lives in his own world," Justice Bansal said, adding that Ramdev was not in anyone's control. The high court asked Ramdev to file an affidavit of compliance and listed the case for hearing on Friday.
On Apr. 22, after the high court observed that Patanjali Foods Ltd.'s advertisement on Rooh Afza 'sharbat' had "shocked the conscience of the court" and it was "indefensible", the company had said it would immediately take down the "disparaging advertisement". In the first promotional video uploaded by Patanjali Products for its sharbat and juices, Ramdev was heard saying that a certain company that sold sharbat was using its earnings to build mosques and madrasas.
He further said that in summers, people drink cold beverages that are basically toilet cleaners. "On one side, there's the attack of toilet-cleaner-like poison, and on the other, there's a company selling sharbat, which uses the money earned from it to build mosques and madrasas. That's fine, it's their religion," Ramdev said in the video.
On the other hand, if you drink Patanjali's rose sharbat, it supports the setting up of Gurukuls, Acharyakulam, Patanjali University, and the Bharatiya Shiksha Board, said Ramdev. "That's why I say, just like there is love jihad and vote jihad, there is also sharbat jihad. So you must protect yourself from this sharbat jihad," said Ramdev.
On Thursday, appearing for Hamdard, advocate Sandeep Sethi said Ramdev has posted another video with communal overtones. "Compare the original and new video. They both refer to Hamdard, both say that I am using profits to build masjid and madrasas and both have a tenor of communal speech," said Sethi. The high court remarked, "I don't care about his political views. I am concerned with the suit. How do we ensure compliance? That he does not refer to their name, their goods?"
On Ramdev's counsel saying that there cannot be a permanent gag order against the yoga guru, the court said, "If that is the stance then we will issue contempt notices. The tone and tenor of the new video is almost similar".
On Wednesday, the shares of Patanjali Foods had ended 0.7% lower at INR 1,906.00 on the National Stock Exchange. Thursday, markets are shut for Maharashtra Day. End
Reported by Surya Tripathi
Edited by Vandana Hingorani
For users of real-time market data terminals, Informist news is available exclusively on the NSE Cogencis WorkStation.
Cogencis news is now Informist news. This follows the acquisition of Cogencis Information Services Ltd by NSE Data & Analytics Ltd, a 100% subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. As a part of the transaction, the news department of Cogencis has been sold to Informist Media Pvt Ltd.
Informist Media Tel +91 (11) 4220-1000
Send comments to feedback@informistmedia.com
© Informist Media Pvt. Ltd. 2025. All rights reserved.
To read more please subscribe
Share this Story:
