Will reply at the earliest when we get notice: Baba Ramdev

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Saturday said though Patanjali Ayurved was yet to receive any showcause notice from central food regulator FSSAI on its atta noodles brand, a reply would be given as per the law whenever his organisation gets it.

Iterating that Patanjali has not violated any law or rules and regulations mandated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in the launch of the noodles brand and other products, Ramdev claimed it had the licence for manufacture and sale of noodles.

The FSSAI has reportedly slapped a showcause notice on Patanjali Ayurved, demanding an explanation for the sale of the atta noodles without the food regulator's approval.

"So far we haven't received any notice, when the notice comes, we will give a reply as per law. We will reply to the notice at the earliest. But we assure you that we have the licence to manufacture and sell noodles.

"Patanjali has not violated any kind of law, rule or regulation by the FSSAI. Patanjali hasn't done anything illegal or unlawful. Patanjali followed whatever the FSSAI guidelines are there concerning noodles," Ramdev told media on the sidelines of an event in neighbouring Howrah.

Patanjali spokesperson S.K. Tijarawala also said it was yet to receive any notice from FSSAI. "I am not aware of any such notice issued to Patanjali, since we have not received it. We have followed all the rules and guidelines of FSSAI, which we have stated earlier as well.

"If and when this notice is received, we will clarify and respond appropriately," Tijarawala told IANS over phone.

Ramdev, however, said Patanjali would follow whatever guidelines are formulated by the FSSAI in future. "Some guidelines by the FSSAI are yet to be formulated. Unless they are formulated, how can we follow them?" he asked.

Asked whether he felt FSSAI was overzealous, Ramdev said: "I won't comment if the FSSAI is overzealous, when we are ourselves overzealous and aggressive that a regulator like FSSAI ought to be overzealous and aggressive."

"Only if all such bodies become overzealous, will the country develop," he said.