2 weeks Ago
NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Friday issued notices to Baba Ramdev and Patanjali 's Divya Pharmacy following a petition alleging that their herbal tooth powder, Divya Dant Manjan , contains non-vegetarian ingredients despite being labeled and branded as vegetarian . The petition, filed by advocate Yatin Sharma, points out that the product's packaging features a green dot, which typically signifies a vegetarian product, while the ingredient list includes Sepia officinalis (common cuttlefish). The case is set to be heard on November 28.
Justice Sanjeev Narula issued notice to the Centre, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) as well as Patanjali, Divya Pharmacy, Yoga guru Ramdev and other related parties following the petition. According to the petition, "Divya Dant Manjan," manufactured by Divya Pharmacy, is prominently displayed and sold on the official Patanjali website, with the product bearing a distinctive green dot that symbolizes its claimed vegetarian nature. The petitioner and their family, who have been using the product for a long time due to its promotion as a vegetarian and plant-based Ayurvedic product, recently discovered that it contains "Samudraphen (Sepia officinalis)," which is derived from cuttlefish bone.
This revelation has caused great distress to the petitioner and their family, who come from a "Brahmin" background, petition said, where consuming non-vegetarian ingredients is strictly against their religious beliefs and sentiments. The petition pressed on the need for judicial intervention to address the lapse by the respondents in the production and promotion of "Divya Dant Manjan," which allegedly contains non-vegetarian ingredients. It further says that Baba Ramdev admitted in a YouTube video that "Samudra fen," used in the product, is animal-based, despite the product being marketed as vegetarian with a green dot on its packaging.
The petitioner seeks redressal for the distress caused by the unintentional consumption of a non-vegetarian product and stresses the importance of transparency and adherence to religious beliefs. "The gravity and effectiveness of the court's order are seriously questioned in this matter, highlighting the need for urgent judicial intervention. The persistent disregard for the court's directives calls for decisive action to ensure compliance and uphold the integrity of the legal system," the plea mentioned.
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