'Sharbat-Jihad' comment: Baba Ramdev agrees to take down videos against Rooh Afza after Delhi High Court rap

Patanjali founder Baba Ramdev on Tuesday agreed to takedown the videos in which he had used communal slurs to target pharmaceutical and food company Hamdard and its popular drink Rooh Afza [Hamdard National Foundation India v. Patanjali Foods Limited & Anr]..The move came after Hamdard sued Ramdev for the videos. Today, Justice Amit Bansal slammed Ramdev for the videos, observing that the Patanjali founder's remarks were indefensible and shocked the court's conscience.After the Court warned of a strong order, Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayar appeared on behalf of Patanjali and Ramdev. He said the advertisements, whether in print format or videos, will be taken down.“I have advised. We are pulling down the videos,” Nayar said.Justice Bansal said,“I am glad you are appearing in the matter. I could not believe my eyes and ears when I saw this [videos].”The Court then ordered Ramdev to file an affidavit to undertake that he will not issue such statements, advertisements and social media posts in future. "Take down immediately," the Single Judge said..Ramdev made the controversial remarks on April 3 while promoting his company's product - Gulab Sharbat.In a video, he targeted Hamdard's Rooh Afza and claimed that Hamdard was using its money for building masjids and madrasas. Ramdev also used the term 'sharbat jihad' in his video. Congress leader Digvijaya Singh had last week filed a police complaint against Ramdev in Bhopal for allegedly promoting religious hatred, as per a news report. According to the Times of India, Ramdev later defended his remark, saying he had not named any specific brand in his video. .Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Hamdard, earlier told the High Court that Ramdev was going on unbated against Hamdard and attacking the religion of the company's owners. "This is a case which is shocking, which goes beyond disparagement. This is a case of creating communal divide, akin to hate speech. It will not have protection from law of defamation," Rohatgi said..Rohtagi also told the Court that Ramdev had earlier faced strictures from the Supreme Court for targeting allopathy. "A hard hand is required to nip this in bud," Rohatgi argued about the present case against Ramdev..Later, Nayar appeared for Ramdev and agreed to take down the videos..Nayar further submitted that the Court should record in its order that Ramdev and Patanjali are not against any religion. The Court said Ramdev can file an affidavit in this regard.Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, who appeared for Hamdard, said Ramdev should not target the religion of company founders. Opposing the submission, Nayar said the company was not a custodian of the religion."I am a custodian of humanity," Sethi responded on behalf of Hamdard. Nayar also submitted that Ramdev cannot be stopped from expressing his political views but in so far as the disparagement of competitors' products was concerned, an affidavit will be filed. "He can hold these opinions in his head, need not express them," the Court remarked as it posted the matter for hearing on May 1..Senior Advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Sandeep Sethi with advocates Pravin Anand, Dhruv Anand, Nikhil Rohatgi, Udita Patro, Shivender Singh Pratap, Dhananjay Khanna, Nimrat Singh, Sampurnaa Sanyal, Navdeep and Mehak Khanna appeared for Hamdard.