Singh, a member of Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh, contacted the TT Nagar police station in Bhopal, requesting registration of the case under Articles 196(1)(1)(1)(A) and 299 of the Information Technology Act.
Section 196 prohibits the promotion of hatred among groups based on religion, race, language or region, while Section 299 addresses intentional and malicious acts designed to anger the religious feeling of citizens of any class.
Singh tagged a video allegedly released through Ramdev’s X account, which he allegedly intended to incite religious sentiment among people to increase sales of Patanjali Ayurved products.
Singh said Ramdev claimed while marketing Gulab Sharbat in Patanjali that a company that sold Sharbat used revenue to build Madrasas and Mosques.
He claimed that Ramdev called it “Sharbat Jihad” while promoting similar products from Patanjali. “This statement about Ramdev is harmful to religious sentiment, full of hostility, and has adverse effects on religious sentiment, and is a punitive offence under Article 196(1)(a), Article 299, Article 299 of Balatia Niya Niya Niya Sannita 2023, and various parts of the former Chief Minister It Act, which were once parts of the act.” Earlier that day, Singh spoke at a press conference, alleging that “merchantist” Ramdev had built an empire worth rupee by selling his products through the aid of religion and nationalism.
He claimed that many of Patanjali’s products failed to meet set standards, while several others were banned by the competent court.
Singh said the country knew Ramdev pointed at Hamdard without a name.
He said in his complaint that Ramdev opposed “Rua Afza” Sherbart, just because the company’s owner is Muslim, just like hate speech. “It is unconstitutional to call the sale of the above Sharbat “Sharbat Jihad”.
Singh asked the police to take appropriate and strict litigation through the registration of the case.
“I requested FIR registration for people who committed crimes under existing laws (Ramdev)” he said.
Other Deputy Police Chief Rashmi Agrawal said Digvijaya Singh filed a complaint against Ramdev Baba, accusing him of harming the religious sentiment of the people and demanding registration of the FIR.
“We are exploring the complaints and taking corresponding actions.”
