Patanjali's Toothpaste, Labelled Veg, Has Non-Vegetarian Ingredients: Petition

The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notices to Baba Ramdev and Patanjali's Divya Pharmacy in response to a petition alleging that the herbal tooth powder Divya Dant Manjan contains non-vegetarian ingredients, despite being labelled as vegetarian.

The petition, filed by advocate Yatin Sharma, claims that the product's packaging features a green dot, typically used to signify vegetarian products, while the ingredient list includes Sepia officinalis (common cuttlefish). The case is scheduled for further hearing on November 28.

The petition highlighted that "Divya Dant Manjan," a product manufactured by Divya Pharmacy, is prominently displayed and offered for sale on the official Patanjali Website and the product is marked with a distinctive green dot, which symbolizes its claimed vegetarian nature.

It stated that the petitioner and their family, who have been long-time users of "Divya Dant Manjan" due to its promotion as a vegetarian and plant-based Ayurvedic product, recently discovered that the product contains "Samudraphen (Sepia officinalis)," which is derived from cuttlefish bone. This revelation is particularly distressing for the petitioner and their family, who come from a Brahmin background where the consumption of non-vegetarian ingredients is strictly against their religious beliefs and sentiments.

The realization that they had been unwittingly consuming a non-vegetarian ingredient for an extended period deeply hurt and shocked the petitioner and their family, the petition said.

The petition underscored the need for judicial intervention to address the lapse by the respondents regarding the production and promotion of "Divya Dant Manjan," which allegedly contains non-vegetarian ingredients.

The plea further stated 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 sought redressal for the distress caused by the unintentional consumption of a non-vegetarian product and stressed 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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