YOGA GURU Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved Managing Director Acharya Balkrishna on Tuesday tendered their apologies in person to the Supreme Court for holding a press conference and publishing advertisements in violation of court orders, and said they were willing to give a “public apology to show contrition”. “I am willing to give a public apology to show contrition and to tell the public that its not that I am doing some lip service in court…,” Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Ramdev and Balkrishna, told a bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah. In response to queries from the bench on why he did not refrain from disparaging other systems of medicine and announce his claims by parading patients on the stage instead of approaching the interdisciplinary medical committee with evidence to back his claims, Ramdev said, “Aage se mein is tathya ke prati 100 per cent jagrook rahunga (I will be 100 per cent alert to this fact hereafter). It’s not good for me too that such things happen. It happened in zest for work. Will not do it in future.” The court had pulled up the yoga guru over a press conference he held on November 22, 2023 in Haridwar and an advertisement issued by the company on December 4, 2023, in alleged violation of a November 21, 2023 undertaking to the court that “henceforth there shall not be any violation of any law(s), especially relating to advertising or branding of products manufactured and marketed by it (Patanjali Ayurved) and, further, that no casual statements claiming medicinal efficacy or against any system of medicine will be released to the media in any form”. Taking note of the submissions on Tuesday, the bench adjourned the hearing till April 23. It said in the order, “Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing for the proposed contemnors submits that to redeem themselves and demonstrate their bonafides, they (Ramdev and Balkrishna) propose to take some steps…and request one week’s time to revert on the aforesaid aspect. This court has interacted with the proposed contenmors and heard their submissions. At the request of the respondents, list on April 23 (next hearing).” The bench told the duo that it had not decided yet whether it should forgive them as it had to consider their previous history too. “At this moment we are not saying they are off the hook either,” Justice Kohli told Rohatgi. During the interaction with the bench in Hindi, Ramdev said at the very outset that he had already tendered an “unconditional and unqualified” apology for the “mistakes”. Justice Kohli then told him that Ayurveda had been going on since the time of Maharishi Charak. Pointing out that there are also other systems of medicine like Siddha and Unani, she asked if it was necessary to speak ill of other systems of medicines to promote Ayurveda. Ramdev replied that it was never his intention to disrespect the court. He said that Patanjali had done a lot of work to make Ayurveda an evidence-based practice and that he did not want to criticise any other system of medicine. Justice Kohli told him that he should have approached the interdisciplinary medical committee set up under the Union of India if he had some evidence on curative effects of a drug, instead of parading someone on stage and announcing that he had been cured of all illnesses. Justice Kohli added that no one had the right to speak ill of other systems to promote their own. Ramdev agreed that he should not have said so and assured that he would take care in the future. Justice Kohli said the law does not allow advertisement of drugs for diseases which are incurable. Neither the IMA, nor any pharmaceutical company can do that, she reminded. Justice Amanutullah said the law was applicable to all. To a query from the bench, Balkrishna said he agreed with Ramdev and he was sorry for whatever had happened “in ignorance” and “will take care not to repeat it in future”. Applauding Ramdev for the work that he has done to promote Ayurveda, Justice Amanatullah said that he cannot, however, degrade allopathy. Ramdev replied. “Bahut galti hui, uska karan yeh hai ki pehle bhi yeh do systems ke beech mein sangharsh chalta raha. Abhi tak bhi isko (Ayurveda) pseudo science kaha jaat hai. Isliye humne aavesh mein aa karke aisa keh diya, hamari mansha kathayi kisi ki ya allopathy ki disrespect karne ki nahi thi (Made a big mistake. It was because there has been a fight going on between the two systems for long. Even now, Ayurveda is referred to as a 'psuedo science'. So said in that impulse. It was not my intention to degrade any system, let alone Allopathy).” He added, “Aage se dhyan rakhenge. Aur 100 pratishat iske prathi satark rahenge (Will pay attention to it in the future. Will be 100 percent alert).” The apex court is hearing a plea filed in 2022 by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) alleging a smear campaign against the Covid vaccination drive and modern systems of medicine. Ramdev and Balkrishna had earlier tendered an "unconditional and unqualified apology" before the top court over advertisements issued by the firm making tall claims about the medicinal efficacy of its products.
