The Supreme Court Tuesday cautioned Patanjali Ayurved, a company co-founded by yoga guru Ramdev and dealing in herbal products, against making “false” and “misleading” claims in advertisements about its medicines as cure of several diseases.
“All such false and misleading advertisements of Patanjali Ayurved have to stop immediately. The court will take any such infraction very seriously…,” a bench comprising justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Prashant Kumar Mishra orally observed while hearing a plea of the Indian Medical Association (IMA).
The top court, on August 23, 2022, had issued notices to the Union health ministry and Ministry of Ayush and Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, on the plea of the IMA alleging a smear campaign by Ramdev against the vaccination drive and modern medicines.
During the brief hearing, the bench asked Patanjali Ayurved not to publish misleading claims and advertisements against modern systems of medicine.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, Ramdev, the co-founder of Patanjali Ayurveda, said, “A group of doctors is propagating against yoga, Ayurveda, naturopathy, and our Sanatana values. The false propaganda claims that there is no solution in the synthetic world for diseases like blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, liver disease, kidney failure, etc.
“Synthetic medicines are laboratory-manufactured drugs derived from natural sources,” he said.
“In yoga, Ayurveda, and naturopathy, with integrated and evidence-based treatment systems, we cure diseases like type 1 diabetes, thyroid issues, high blood pressure, normalising sugar levels, obesity, and others. This is not false; this is true,” Ramdev claimed.
The entrepreneur-yoga guru said he respects the Supreme Court, the country’s law, and the Constitution.“We are not engaging in false propaganda,” Ramdev said.
“If we are spreading false claims, impose core penalties. Give the death penalty; we are okay with it,” he added.