SC pulls up Centre for inaction on Patanjali's 'false advertisements'
The Supreme Court on Tuesday came down heavily on the Centre for not taking any action against the "misleading and false" advertisements by Patanjali Ayurved, a company co-owned by yoga guru Ramdev. The court criticized the government, saying it was "sitting with its eye closed." The SC said that the entire country is being misled through such advertisements. "This is very unfortunate. The government will have to take some immediate action," the bench said.
Court orders Patanjali to stop misleading advertisements
The court has ordered Patanjali Ayurved to immediately halt all electronic and print advertisements containing misleading information about its products. This comes after the court's warning in November 2023 against making "false" and "misleading" claims in advertisements. On August 23, 2022, the SC issued notices to the Union health ministry and Ministry of Ayush and Patanjali Ayurved, on the plea of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) alleging a smear campaign by Ramdev against vaccination drives and modern medicine.
IMA highlights disparaging statements in advertisements
The IMA had highlighted several ads that allegedly depicted allopathy and doctors negatively. The IMA argued that the "disparaging" statements were made by firms producing ayurvedic medicines, intending to mislead the public. The counsel for the IMA pointed out that these advertisements implied that medical practitioners themselves were dying despite taking modern medicines. The top court had previously asked the counsel representing the Centre to find a solution for misleading medical advertisements.
Give us death penalty if false claims proven: Ramdev
After the SC's warning in November, Ramdev hit back saying that his company was not spreading false information. He claimed that Patanjali cures diseases like type 1 diabetes, thyroid issues, high blood pressure, and obesity through yoga, Ayurveda, and naturopathy. Talking about the SC's warning, he said that he respects the court, the country's law, and the Constitution. He instead challenged authorities, saying, "If we are spreading false claims... Give the death penalty."
IMA questioned government over 'Coronil'
In 2021, the IMA sharply criticized the government's promotion of an "unscientific" medicine for COVID-19. In a statement, the IMA questioned the then Union Health Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, over Coronil: the "first evidence-based medicine for COVID-19." To recall, Coronil, developed by Patanjali, was approved by the AYUSH Ministry as a "supporting measure in COVID-19."
