Supreme Court pulls up Baba Ramdev for his remarks against allopathy

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (August 23) criticised yoga guru Baba Ramdev for his comments against allopathy and said he should exercise restraint from “abusing” other systems.

The court was hearing a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) alleging “smear campaigns” against allopathic doctors and COVID-19 vaccination.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and Justices Hima Kohli and CT Ravikumar asked why Ramdev was accusing allopathy doctors and questioned what is the guarantee that what he follows will “cure everything”.

Also read: Baba Ramdev ‘shuts up’ journalist for asking question on fuel hike

“Why is Baba Ramdev accusing Allopathy Doctors etc? He popularised yoga. Good. But he should not criticize other systems. What is the guarantee that what he follows will cure everything?… He must exercise restraint in abusing other systems” the court said.

What Delhi HC said last week

On August 17, the Delhi High Court told Ramdev not to mislead the public against allopathy.

Speaking on the sidelines of an event recently, Ramdev said that the fact that US President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID even after taking the booster dose shows that only allopathy is not sufficient to fight the virus, and needs to be backed by yoga and Ayurveda.

Also read: ‘Don’t mislead people’: Delhi HC rebukes Ramdev over remark on COVID vaccine efficacy

The court said such statements could mislead the people while dragging the name of a foreign president may embarrass the country on the international stage. The court also said that such remarks also tarnish the good name of Ayurveda.

‘Stupid science’

Last year in May, the IMA said Ramdev has claimed that allopathy is a “stupid science” and medicines such as remdesivir, faviflu, and other drugs approved by the Drugs Controller General of India have failed to treat COVID-19 patients. The doctors’ body also quoted Ramdev as saying that “lakhs of patients have died after taking allopathic medicines”.

Ramdev later withdrew his remarks following a letter from the then Union health minister Harsh Vardhan. “Hon’ble Minister, I have received your letter. I withdraw my statement, putting to rest the controversy over various medical practices…,” Ramdev tweeted in Hindi with his statement.

माननीय श्री @drharshvardhan जी आपका पत्र प्राप्त हुआ,
उसके संदर्भ में चिकित्सा पद्दतियों के संघर्ष के इस पूरे विवाद को खेदपूर्वक विराम देते हुए मैं अपना वक्तव्य वापिस लेता हूँ और यह पत्र आपको संप्रेषित कर रहा हूं- pic.twitter.com/jEAr59VtEe

— स्वामी रामदेव (@yogrishiramdev) May 23, 2021

Also read: Baba Ramdev blames allopathy for COVID deaths, draws IMA’s ire

Also in 2021, several doctors’ associations filed a lawsuit in the Delhi High Court for allegedly spreading misinformation through his statements against allopathy amid the COVID-19 pandemic which purportedly amounts to public nuisance.

They alleged that Ramdev was misleading and misrepresenting to the public at large that allopathy was responsible for the deaths of several people infected by COVID-19, and insinuating that allopathic doctors were causing deaths of the patients.

In their plea filed, the associations have submitted that the yoga guru was sowing doubts in the minds of the general public with respect to the safety and efficacy of not only allopathic treatments but also COVID-19 vaccines.

Being a highly influential person, it is apprehended that Ramdev’s statements can influence lakhs of people and divert them from allopathic treatment which are prescribed as the standard form of care even by the government, the plea submitted.

Row over Coronil

In February 2021, Ramdev’s Patanjali Ayurved said its Coronil tablet has received certification from the Ayush Ministry as a medicine supporting COVID-19 treatment as per the World Health Organization’s (WHO) certification scheme. Patanjali also released what it claimed was research work supporting Coronil’s efficacy in COVID-19 treatment.

Later, Patanjali’s MD Acharya Balakrishna clarified that Coronil did not get WHO certification.

“We want to clarify to avoid confusion that our WHO GMP compliant COPP certificate to Coronil is issued by DCGI, Government of India. It is clear that WHO do not approve or disapprove any drugs. WHO works for building a better, healthier future for people all over the world,” Balkrishna tweeted.

We want to clarify to avoid confusion that our WHO GMP compliant COPP certificate to Coronil is issued by DCGI, Government of India.
It is clear that WHO do not approve or disapprove any drugs.
WHO works for building a better, healthier future for people all over the world. pic.twitter.com/ZEDPdWy0tg

— Acharya Balkrishna (@Ach_Balkrishna) February 19, 2021

The WHO had said that it had “not reviewed or certified the effectiveness of any traditional medicine for the treatment of Covid-19.”

.@WHO has not reviewed or certified the effectiveness of any traditional medicine for the treatment #COVID19.

— WHO South-East Asia (@WHOSEARO) February 19, 2021

(With Agency inputs)