More Legal Wrangles For Ramdev

File under: The Siddhi of PR and Gurus Clockin' Dollars

The rancorous Swami Ramdev—he of human skull powder and animal testicles as the "new" Viagra fame–is getting sued by a village leader in Bihar for violating the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act of 1954.

We're impressed they even have a Drugs and Magic Remedies act in India, but not because we find the country completely backwards. It's more due to the fact that most of the magical thinking that pollutes spiritual culture in the West can be tied directly to Hindu myth and superstition, something Ramdev exploits each and every day. It's the very basis of his business and the reason he's stacking so much paneer in the bank.

In a seemingly related PR move, Ramdev is denying having any political aspirations in India these days, but this isn't to say he won't have a hand in politics:

"I will guide politicians in the right direction, and my doors will remain open for them for my help to ensure all-round development (of the country)."

In other words: keep the rationalists at bay and I'll throw my voters your way.

With Ramdev claiming to want to expand his tele-yoga empire outside of India, we may begin to hear a bit more about him in the states. But the lack of cremation grounds on this side of the globe may make ingredient acquisition a bit more dicey than he's prepared to deal with (we hope.)