'Fine ₹1000 crore if...': Baba Ramdev claims doctors' 'propaganda' after SC rebuke

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the Centre to devise a mechanism to stop misleading advertisements claiming cure for all kinds of diseases.

Haridwar: Reacting to the Supreme Court's rebuke over misleading advertisements and remarks against modern medicines, yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Wednesday claimed a “group of doctors” was carrying out "propaganda" against yoga, Ayurveda. He said his company, Patanjali Ayurveda, wasn't spreading lies.

Baba Ramdev (File)

"Since yesterday, on different media sites, one news story has gone viral that the Supreme Court (SC) reprimanded Patanjali. SC said that if you do false propaganda, then you will be fined... We respect SC. But we are not doing any false propaganda," he said at a press conference in Haridwar.

He said they were ready to face any punishment if proven guilty of propaganda.

"A few doctors have formed a group that continuously does propaganda against yoga, Ayurveda, etc... If we are liars, then fine us ₹1000 crore, and we are also ready for the death penalty. But if we are not liars, then punish the ones who are really spreading the false propaganda. For the past 5 years, propaganda has been going on, targeting Ramdev and Patanjali," he added.

The apex court on Tuesday ordered the Centre to devise a mechanism to stop misleading advertisements that claim to have cures for diseases. It also reprimanded Baba Ramdev and his company for making disparaging remarks against modern medicine.

A bench headed by justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah said, “This is blatant infraction of law what you (Patanjali) are doing. We will take it very seriously if you keep doing this and even impose a cost to the extent of ₹1 crore on every product".

The court made the observation in response to a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association seeking directions against publication of misleading advertisements. The doctors' body had also petitioned against advertisements that question the efficacy of allopathic medicines.

IMA had made Patanjali Ayurveda one of the respondents to the petition. Patanjali Ayurveda, one of the country's biggest FMCG companies, had issued an advertisement in July last year, questioning the benefits of allopathy.

"We want to find a real solution to the problem of misleading advertisements making false claims that it can cure a particular disease,” said the bench, also comprising justice PK Mishra.

The IMA had accused the yoga guru of making false statements against modern medicine. It also accused him of maligning doctors and creating doubts about allopathy in the minds of the masses.

“Patanjali claims to have a permanent solution for lifestyle disorders, incurable, chronic and genetic diseases, skin diseases, arthritis, cervical spondylitis, asthma, among others which is an infraction of law," its lawyers told the court.

The court posted the matter to February 5.

With inputs from Abraham Thomas, ANI