It refers to media-reports about the Defence Canteen Stores Department-CSD banning sale of Amla juice marketed by Patanjali Ayurved of Baba ramdev, after the product was found unfit by Kolkatta-based Central Food Laboratory. The Rs 5,000-crore company, Patanjali Ayurved was earlier pulled up by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India-FSSAI for selling noodles and pasta without the requisite licenses even though Patanjali Atta Noodles packets display an FSSAI license number.
Patanjali Ayurved was earlier in news for being imposed a fine of rupees eleven lakhs by an Uttarakhand court for charges of misbranding and misrepresentation of its products. People in general always believed that all products marketed by Patanjali were manufactured in its own units. But it is indeed a matter of concern that people across the country were rather fooled if observations of Uttarakhand court are correct. It is not a matter of concern for just people of Uttarakhand, but for people across the country. Media-reports also indicate that honey, salt, mustard oil, jam and besan, marketed by Patanjali, picked up for sampling on August 16, 2012 failed quality-tests.
State-governments are racing for promoting Patanjali Ayurved by giving huge land at nominal price. Department of Consumer Affairs of Government of India must probe affairs of Patanjali Ayurved which suddenly grew manifolds in a very short span in last few years, presently having perhaps costliest advertising budget in electronic-media amongst all the companies in the country. Political closeness of company-promoters with ruling party must not prevent probe into company-affairs. It is significant that electronic-media of the country is totally mute on disturbing news about Patanjali Ayurved evidently because of being heavily funded through big advertisement-budget of the company.
SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL