Ramdev faces criminal charges for his ‘women look good without clothes’ comment

Muzaffarpur | Updated: 29 November, 2022 6:20 pm IST

The complaint was filed after Baba Ramdev had apologised for his comment that women can look good in anything - saree, salwar kameez or "even when they wear nothing".

A complaint has been filed in Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court of Muzaffarpur against Baba Ramdev for his statement on women’s clothing at a Patanjali’s group’s free yoga training program for women in Thane on Friday.

The complaint was filed after Baba Ramdev had apologised for his comment that women can look good in anything – saree, salwar kameez or “even when they wear nothing”.

Ramdev in an email to the Maharashtra State Commission for Women Chairperson Rupali Chakankar, in response to her official letter demanding an explanation for his utterances within 72 hours wrote,:“…I never meant to insult women. I made the comparison to my simple clothes. My words were twisted out of context and went viral …if anyone’s feelings have been hurt, then I apologise.”

N Raju Nayyar who filed the case, told the media that when he heard the yoga guru’s statement in the public forum on TV he was hurt. He demands that Baba Ramdev’s company Patanjali be shut down by the government. He also added that such men should be hung to death for insulting women.

“People take inspiration from Baba Ramdev, his purpose towards society is different. But if he is passing such lewd comments on women, that they look good in salwar kameez or even when they wear nothing, that means this baba has now been completely corrupted,” said Nayyar.

He compared Ramdev with Baba Ram Rahim and Baba Chinmayanand saying this statement brings out his true colours.

“The whole country is embarrassed by this. India is a country where women are respected and worshipped. Through this court case, I demand that all his work, like Patanjali, should be shut down by the government,” he said.

The lawyer representing Nayyar, Manoj Singh said, “Such an indecent comment against women in the land where Sita was born is hurtful. Nayyar has filed a case against him for hurting the sentiments of Indian society at large.”

Case has been filed against Baba Ramdev under several sections of Indian Penal code including 354A for sexual harassment , 354D for (any man) attempting to contact women to foster personal interaction despite clear indication of disinterest, 120B for punishment of criminal conspiracy, 420 for cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property and section 34 IPC for acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention.