On 22nd April, 2025, Yoga guru Baba Ramdev informed the Delhi High Court that all advertisements referencing Hamdard’s iconic beverage, Rooh Afza, will be withdrawn from all platforms, including print and digital media. The assurance was communicated by Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayar, representing Ramdev and Patanjali Foods Limited, during proceedings before Justice Amit Bansal.

The move follows a defamation suit filed by Hamdard against Ramdev, triggered by his recent remarks while promoting Patanjali’s rose sherbet. Ramdev allegedly stated that profits from Rooh Afza were being used to fund madrasas and mosques, a comment that included the term “Sharbat Jihad” and drew widespread backlash for its perceived communal undertones.

Although Ramdev later maintained that he had not named any specific brand or community, Hamdard approached the court, seeking the removal of the controversial videos from social media platforms.

During the hearing, the court condemned the “Sharbat Jihad” comment as morally indefensible. Representing Hamdard, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi argued that Ramdev’s statements extended beyond product criticism and amounted to hate speech, threatening communal harmony.

Rohatgi asserted that the remarks were a deliberate attack on Hamdard’s religious identity and stressed that someone of Ramdev’s stature could endorse Patanjali products without disparaging others. He also cited previous Supreme Court contempt proceedings against Ramdev and Patanjali’s Acharya Balkrishna for releasing misleading advertisements and making derogatory remarks about allopathic medicine, in violation of prior court orders.

In response, Nayar clarified that Ramdev and his associates harbored no ill will toward any religion and had already instructed for the withdrawal of the disputed advertisements. The court, however, insisted on a formal affidavit affirming this position and directed Ramdev to refrain from making any further statements or posts that could lead to similar controversies.

Justice Bansal granted Ramdev five days to file the affidavit, with the next hearing scheduled for 1st May, 2025. The High Court affirmed that it will continue to closely monitor compliance with its directives.