Bhopal, Apr 15 (PTI) Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Tuesday approached police for registration of an FIR against Yoga guru Ramdev, accusing him of spreading religious hatred through his purported statement on “sharbat jihad”.

A police officer said the complaint submitted by Singh will be investigated.

Singh, the Rajya Sabha member from Madhya Pradesh, approached TT Nagar police station in Bhopal, demanding that a case be registered under sections 196 (1) (a) and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.

Section 196 prohibits promoting enmity between groups based on religion, race, language, or region, while section 299 addresses deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings of any class of citizens.

Singh flagged a video purportedly released through Ramdev’s X account, which he alleged was aimed at inciting religious sentiments among people to increase the sales of Patanjali Ayurved’s products.

Singh stated that Ramdev while marketing Patanjali’s Gulab Sharbat, had claimed that a company selling sharbat uses the income for building madrasas and mosques.

He alleged that Ramdev had dubbed it “sharbat jihad” while promoting a similar product of Patanjali.

“This statement of Ramdev is hurtful to religious sentiments and is full of animosity and has an adverse effect on religious sentiments and is a punishable offence under Section 196 (1) (a), 299 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita 2023 and various sections of the IT Act,” Singh, a former chief minister, stated.

Earlier in the day, Singh addressed a press conference alleging that “businessman” Ramdev built an empire worth crores of rupees by taking the help of religion and nationalism to sell his products.

He alleged that many products of Patanjali failed to meet the set standards while several others were banned by the competent court.

The country knows Ramdev was pointing at Hamdard company without naming it, Singh said.

He stated in his complaint that Ramdev’s opposition to “Rooh Afza” sherbat just because the owner of the company is a Muslim is akin to hate speech. “Calling the sale of the said sharbat as ‘sharbat Jihad’ is unconstitutional”.

Singh requested the police to take appropriate and strict action by registering a case.

“I have demanded to register an FIR against the person (Ramdev) who has committed the crime under existing laws,” he said, adding that he would approach the court after a week if the FIR is not registered.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Rashmi Agrawal, said Digvijaya Singh has submitted a complaint against Ramdev Baba alleging that he has hurt the religious sentiments of the people and demanded the registration of an FIR.

“We are probing the complaint and act accordingly”. PTI MAS NSK