Controversy erupted on Wednesday after an article in a national newspaper claimed that Yoga proponent Baba Ramdev had put up an advertisement on his website offering a 'health pack' to cure Ebola.
Senior journalist Shekhar Gupta was also caught in the episode when he tweeted the article published by The Hindu on Wednesday, and slighted Ramdev for the alleged claim to 'cure Ebola'.
"Baba Ramdev claims cure for Ebola. Shd be useful to ask Swamiji if he believes this also caused by homosexuality," Gupta had tweeted on Wednesday.
However, Ramdev immediately took to Twitter to claim that the website did not belong to him.
"@ShekharGupta Ji, you r a very senior journalist of the country. Pls verify your facts before making such statements," Ramdev tweeted.
Baba Ramdev claims cure for Ebola. Shd be useful to ask Swamiji if he believes this also caused by homosexuality http://t.co/iTN9ZHZw5V
— Shekhar Gupta (@ShekharGupta) October 15, 2014
@ShekharGupta Ji, you r a very senior journalist of the country. Pls verify your facts before making such statements pic.twitter.com/cqZiV5ljIO
— Swami Ramdev (@yogrishiramdev) October 15, 2014
While The Hindu article suggested that Ramdev had put up the advertisement on his own website, the website has a disclaimer that reads – "This website is not an official website of Swami Ramdev and Divya pharmacy or Patanjali Yog Peeth, Haridwar. It is a health information website. Authenticity and genuinety [sic] of the information mentioned on the above page is purely at the user discretion".
This is the link to the website in question - http://www.ramdevmedicine.com/
Ramdev said he would initiate legal action against the website. "We 'll take legal action against http://RamdevMedicine.com ,the website which is using my name and pictures to make unsubstantiated Ebola claims," he tweeted.
We 'll take legal action against http://t.co/KXYoux0wjh,the website which is using my name and pictures to make unsubstantiated Ebola claims
— Swami Ramdev (@yogrishiramdev) October 15, 2014
Meanwhile, Gupta announced on Twitter that he spoke with N Ravi of The Hindu who was checking the story.
He also later 'thanked' Ramdev - for letting him argue over topics they disagreed on, including homosexuality.
2/2 @yogrishiramdev tells me ad on unauthorised site in his name. I thank him for always letting me argue on our disagreements incl on gays
— Shekhar Gupta (@ShekharGupta) October 15, 2014
Baba Ramdev ended the war of words with Gupta with this tweet.
@ShekharGupta Ji has called me just now. The confusion was due to the news by @TheHindu and the fake website. The matter stands closed now — Swami Ramdev (@yogrishiramdev) October 15, 2014
