'Fine Rs 1000 crore fine if...' Baba Ramdev faces backlash after SC rebuke for 'misleading' claims
Haridwar, November 22: In response to the Supreme Court's criticism against misleading advertisements promoting miracle cures, yoga guru Baba Ramdev countered accusations of false propaganda targeted at yoga and Ayurveda. He defended Patanjali Ayurveda, denying any dissemination of falsehoods during a press conference in Haridwar.
Dismissing claims of the apex court reprimanding Patanjali, Ramdev emphasised their commitment to truthfulness. He challenged any penalties if proven guilty but called out a group of doctors allegedly orchestrating a campaign against yoga and Ayurveda. Ramdev challenged them to impose a staggering Rs 1000 crore fine or the death penalty if their claims were proven false.
#WATCH | Haridwar, Uttarakhand: Yog Guru Swami Ramdev says, "Since yesterday, on different media sites, one news story has gone viral that the Supreme Court (SC) reprimanded Patanjali. SC said that if you do false propaganda, then you will be fined... We respect SC. But we are… pic.twitter.com/goYHV337QM — ANI (@ANI) November 22, 2023
The Supreme Court, addressing a petition by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) against misleading advertisements promoting disease cures, ordered the Centre to curb such promotions. The bench condemned Baba Ramdev and Patanjali for disparaging modern medicine and cautioned a hefty penalty of Rs 1 crore per product for continued violations.
The IMA's plea highlighted Patanjali's advertisement from last year questioning allopathic medicine's efficacy. The association accused Ramdev of disseminating false information, casting doubt on modern medicine's effectiveness, and claiming cures for incurable ailments, leading to a breach of regulations.
The court stressed the necessity to combat misleading advertisements while seeking genuine solutions to health issues without making unsubstantiated claims. The ongoing dispute underscores the clash between traditional practices like yoga and Ayurveda against allopathic medicine, sparking legal and ethical debates within the medical community.
- With inputs from agencies
