The Supreme Court on Tuesday criticised yoga guru Baba Ramdev for his disparaging remarks on modern medicine systems like allopathy.
A bench led by Chief Justice N V Ramana said he can run campaigns to popularise Ayurveda, but should not criticise other systems.
“Why is Baba Ramdev accusing Allopathy Doctors? He popularised yoga. Good. But he should not criticize other systems. What is the guarantee that what he follows will cure everything?” asked Chief Justice N V Ramana.
The Supreme Court made these observations while hearing a petition by Indian Medical Association (IMA), alleging smear campaigns against allopathic medicines, their doctors and Covid-19 vaccination.
The bench also issued a notice to the centre seeking its reply on IMA’s plea.
Last year, as the second wave of Covid ripped through the country killing thousands, Ramdev was heard saying in a video, “Lakhs of people have died because of allopathic medicines, far more than those who died because they did not get treatment or oxygen.” The yoga guru even purportedly called allopathy a “stupid and bankrupt” science.
He had also claimed that several doctors in India died even after getting both doses of the coronavirus vaccine.
The IMA, earlier in a media statement, had said the Union Health Ministry should take action and prosecute Ramdev under the Epidemic Diseases Act as he had misled people by making “unlearned” statements and defamed scientific medicine.
The topmost association of Indian doctors said Ramdev had damaged the reputation of practitioners of allopathy and modern medicine when they are striving to save lives during the pandemic.
Last week, the Delhi High Court had asked Baba Ramdev to refrain from making misleading comments on Ayurveda.
The bench was hearing a petition filed by various groups of doctors against Baba Ramdev for allegedly spreading misinformation concerning the use of Patanjali’s Coronil for Covid-19.
The court was then informed about the yoga guru’s statement that US President Joe Biden tested positive for Covid despite being vaccinated.
Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhan expressed his concerns about “people being named” in such statements and said, “Such statements can affect the country’s relation with other nations, besides also bringing Ayurveda to bad repute.”
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