‘Conspiracy against Swadeshi firm’: Patanjali on Kimbho app disappearing from Play Store

A Patanjali spokesperson said that the trial version of the ‘Kimbho’ app was removed by Google without citing any reason.

Patanjali’s Kimbho app disappears from Google Play Store (HT Photo)

Patanjali Ayurved's messaging app 'Kimbho' was pulled down from Google Play Store, a day after its beta trial version was introduced on the platform. The Baba Ramdev-led firm alleged that it was a conspiracy by multinational companies against a Swadeshi firm and said the app will be back soon.

"#Patanjali #kimbho App has fallen victim of conspiracy of foreign companies #MNCs. We regret the inconveniences. It will be back soon," said a tweet by Patanjali Ayurved Spokesperson S K Tijarawala.

When contacted, Tijarawala said the trial version of the 'Kimbho' app was removed by Google without citing any reason. "We are communicating with them asking the reason why it was removed from the Play Store," he added.

E-mails sent to Google did not elicit a response. 

#पतंजलि स्वदेशी @KimbhoApp विदेशी कंपनियों के षड़यंत्र का शिकार हो गया है। असुविधा के लिए खेद है। #किम्भो एप अतिशीघ्र पुनः प्रारम्भ होगा।#Patanjali #kimbho App has fallen victim of conspiracy of foreign companies #MNCs
We regret the inconveniences.
It will be back soon @ANI pic.twitter.com/b4FdHhIAHb

— Tijarawala SK (@tijarawala) August 16, 2018

The Haridwar-based firm earlier this week put Kimbho's trial version on Google Play Store for downloads almost two months after it was taken down hastily. It had also said the app will be launched officially on August 27 after fixing the shortcomings.

On May 31 this year, Patanjali had removed Kimbho, which means 'how are you' or 'what's up' in Sanskrit, from Google Play Store and Apple's App Store just a day after launch, saying it was released only for a one-day trial.

At that time, several technical experts had pointed out security flaws in the app. Patanjali is pitching 'Kimbho' as a competitor to Facebook-owned Whatsapp.

Patanjali, known for its range of FMCG products, had claimed that Kimbho had witnessed around 1.5 lakh downloads in the first three hours.

(with inputs from HT Correspondent)