Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has filed a police complaint against yoga guru Ramdev, accusing him of promoting religious hatred through his recent remarks about a popular soft drink.
Singh approached the TT Nagar police station in Bhopal on Tuesday, seeking the registration of an FIR against Ramdev under sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.
The controversy arose after Ramdev reportedly made a statement during a promotional video for Patanjali's "Gulab Sharbat," suggesting that the proceeds from a rival sharbat brand were being used to fund madrasas and mosques.
He allegedly referred to this as “sharbat jihad,” a term that Digvijaya Singh claims is deeply offensive and promotes communal disharmony.
According to Singh, the video shared on Ramdev’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle was a deliberate attempt to provoke religious sentiments and to promote Patanjali products at the cost of demonising a Muslim-owned business.
Though Ramdev did not directly name any company, Singh asserted that his comments were clearly aimed at the Hamdard company, the makers of "Rooh Afza," a popular traditional drink in many Indian households.
Addressing the media earlier in the day, Singh referred to Ramdev as a "businessman" who had built a vast empire by exploiting religious and nationalist sentiments.
He claimed that many Patanjali products had either failed quality tests or were banned by courts for not meeting prescribed standards.
In his written complaint, Singh argued that Ramdev’s comments amounted to hate speech, particularly because they targeted a brand associated with a Muslim proprietor.
He described the use of the term “sharbat jihad” as unconstitutional and demanded strict legal action. Singh also made it clear that if an FIR is not registered within a week, he will move to the courts for further redressal.
“We cannot allow such divisive rhetoric to go unchecked,” Singh said. “Calling a Muslim-owned drink brand part of a so-called ‘sharbat jihad’ campaign is a clear attempt to spread communal hatred.”
Bhopal’s additional deputy commissioner of police, Rashmi Agrawal, confirmed the receipt of Singh’s complaint. “The complaint has been submitted, and we are looking into the matter. Further action will be taken after the investigation,” she said, as reported by the agency.
The incident has added fuel to the ongoing debate over the role of religious identity in business and marketing strategies. Critics of Ramdev say he often mixes spiritual discourse with political and commercial agendas, a combination that can have polarising effects.
Meanwhile, Patanjali has not yet issued a formal response to the allegations or the complaint.
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