The Supreme Court today told yoga guru Ramdev that while he has made a significant contribution in promoting yoga in the country, it is not ready to accept his apology in the contempt case against Patanjali Ayurved in connection with its misleading ads and Covid cure claims. The court had come down heavily on the Patanjali founders during the previous hearing last week. It had also pulled up the Uttarakhand government for not acting against the Haridwar-based company.
The court said that Ramdev and his aide Balkrishna defamed allopathic medicines to promote their own Ayurvedic treatment for incurable diseases. "Despite the order of the court, you published the advertisement and said those things. Ayurveda has been around since the time of Maharishi Charak. Why did you talk poorly about other medical system to promote your own method?" the court asked the yoga guru. "We did not have such intentions. We researched more than 5,000 processes," he responded. "We are talking about your attitude. We have summoned you because you have disobeyed our order," the court said.
The matter dates back to the Covid years, when Patanjali launched a drug, Coronil, in 2021 and Ramdev described it as the "first evidence-based medicine for COVID-19". Justice A Amanullah asked if the apology is "even heartfelt". "Tendering apology is not enough. You should suffer the consequences for violating the court's order," he said. The court asked Ramdev and Balkrishna to appear in front of it again in a week's time on April 23 to show the intent behind their apology.
Here are the Highlights on Patanjali Misleading Ads case:
Get NDTV UpdatesTurn on notifications to receive alerts as this story develops.
BREAKING: Supreme Court To Hear The Matter On April 23
Supreme Court on Tuesday asked Ramdev and his aide Balkrishna to appear in front of it again in a week's time to show the intent behind their apology over the misleading ads published by Patanjali.
"Don't Justify Yourself": Supreme Court To RamdevSC: Don't justify yourself
Ramdev: No, we are not justifying just apologising
SC: The Supreme Court will hold a hearing on April 23. Both (Ramdev and Balkrishna) will have to appear again. Both to save themselves and to show their good intentions, they have to take more steps.
"You Are Not So Innocent": Supreme Court To RamdevRamdev- We said what we did for allopathy out of enthusiasm. We will take care from now on
SC- If the lawyers gave some undertaking in the court, then you cannot say that you did not know something. You cannot repeat thatover and over again. You cannot say that you are innocent
SC: We haven't forgiven you yet. We will think about it.Your history is similar. We have not forgiven you
Ramdev: We will not repeat it.
SC: We are keeping in mind your previous role. The last order is in our attention. You are not so innocent that you do not know what is going on in the court.
"We Should Not Have Said...": Ramdev To Supreme CourtSupreme Court: You defamed other medicines. Publicity of medicines for incurable diseases is prohibited
Ramdev: We should not have said this - will take care in future
Supreme Court: You have acted irresponsibly. Medicines that claim to treat incurable diseases are not publicized. No one can do this, no one has done it. You have acted completely irresponsibly by going to the press.
"We Are Talking About Your Attitude": Supreme Court Questions RamdevSupreme Court: "Despite the order of the court, you published the advertisement and said those things. Ayurveda has been around since the time of Maharishi Charak. Why did you talk poorly about other medical system to promote your own method?"
Ramdev- We did not have such intentions. We researched more than 5,000 processes.
Supreme Court- We are talking about your attitude. We have summoned you because you have disobeyed our order
"I Offer Unconditional, Unqualified Apology": Ramdev Tells Court "I would like to say that I offer an unconditional, unqualified apology for whatever mistake we made," Ramdev to Supreme Court.
"Technical Issue Not Censorship": Supreme Court On Pause In HearingThe court said that the hearing was adjourned due to a network problem, not because of any censorship.
Supreme Court Hearing Paused
Supreme Court hearing halted due to technical issues with video streaming. The hearing will resume after five minutes
"You Have Done A Lot For Yoga": Supreme Court To Ramdev"You have great dignity. You have done a lot for yoga and started a lot of good things for its promotion. You also started this business," Supreme Court to Ramdev.
BREAKING: Yoga Guru Ramdev Says He Is Ready To Apologise Publicly
Yoga Guru Ramdev told Supreme Court that he is ready to apologise publicly for misleading ads during Covid years. "I am ready to give a public apology to show contrition. We claim that we have an alternative system of medicine," he said
Hearing Begins In Patanjali Misleading Ads Case
A bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah is hearing the matter.