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- Baba Ramdev; Patanjali Ayurved Misleading Ads Case Update | Supreme Court
New Delhi15 minutes ago
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The picture is of April 16, when Baba Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurveda MD Acharya Balkrishna reached the Supreme Court to attend the hearing.
Patanjali Ayurveda Limited has stopped the sale of 14 of its products in the market. Uttarakhand had suspended the manufacturing licenses of these products in April. Patanjali gave this information in the Supreme Court on Tuesday (July 9).
The company told the bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Sandeep Mehta that after the cancellation of the license, 5,606 franchise stores have been directed to take back 14 products. Besides, instructions have also been given to withdraw advertisements of products from media platforms.
The bench has directed Patanjali Ayurved Limited to file an affidavit within two weeks. In this, the company has to tell whether the social media co-ordinators have accepted their request to remove the advertisements of these products and whether they have withdrawn the advertisements. The next hearing of this case will now be on July 30.
The court had asked- what steps should be taken to withdraw the advertisement
In fact, on May 14, the Supreme Court had asked Patanjali Ayurved about the licenses of 14 products which have been cancelled. What steps have been taken to withdraw their advertisements. The court had given 3 weeks time to Patanjali to file the affidavit.
The Supreme Court is hearing the petition of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) against Patanjali, in which Patanjali has been accused of running a defamation campaign against Covid vaccination and allopathy treatment.
Uttarakhand State License Authority had told the Supreme Court in April that the licenses of 14 products of Patanjali Ayurveda Limited and Divya Pharmacy have been suspended. The Supreme Court had on May 14 reserved its order on the contempt notice issued to yoga guru Ramdev, his associate Balkrishna and Patanjali Ayurved Limited in the misleading advertisement case.
The court had reprimanded IMA Chief
In the hearing on May 14, the Supreme Court had refused to accept the apology of IMA Chief Dr. RV Ashokan regarding the statement given in the media. In fact, the court had said that IMA should also consider its doctors, who often prescribe expensive and unnecessary medicines to patients. If you point one finger at someone, four fingers point at you too.
IMA Chief had termed this comment of the Supreme Court as unfortunate. During an interview with a news agency on April 29, he said – The Supreme Court has broken the morale of doctors. On this statement of IMA Chief, Patanjali Chairman Balkrishna had filed a petition in the Supreme Court saying – Ashokan has reduced the dignity of the law.
The Supreme Court had reprimanded IMA Chief Dr. RV Ashokan for this statement. The court had said on May 14 that freedom of expression is fine, but sometimes a person has to be restrained. You cannot say anything about the court sitting on the sofa. After this, the IMA Chief filed an affidavit in the court and also apologized unconditionally. However, the court rejected the apology.
Ashokan’s statement against the court, understand it in 3 points…
- Ashokan was asked that in the hearing on April 23, the Supreme Court had said in its observation that they are pointing one finger at Patanjali, but the remaining four fingers are towards IMA. Ashokan said that it is very unfortunate that the Supreme Court criticized the practice of IMA and private doctors.
- He said that vague statements have lowered the morale of private doctors. We feel that he should have seen what information was placed before him. Perhaps he did not even notice that this was not the case that was placed before him in the court.
- Whatever you say, still a large number of doctors work honestly, they practice as per their policy and principles. It does not suit the Supreme Court to say such things about the medical profession of the country, whose doctors have sacrificed their lives during Corona.
Balakrishna filed a petition, said- action should be taken against Ashokan
Acharya Balkrishna had filed a petition in the Supreme Court regarding Ashokan’s statement. In this he had said that the statements of IMA Chief Ashokan interfere in the ongoing proceedings of the case and interfere in the process of justice.
He termed Ashokan’s statement as condemnable and said that this comment is an attempt to lower the dignity of the Supreme Court. In his petition, Balakrishna has demanded action against Ashokan as per law.
Supreme Court said- You cannot say anything sitting on the sofa
While hearing Balakrishna’s petition, the court had said on May 14 that freedom of expression is fine, but sometimes a person has to be restrained. You cannot say anything about the court sitting on the sofa.
The court said that you are the president of IMA. There are 3 lakh 50 thousand doctors in your association. What impression do you want to leave on the common people and the public? You are in a responsible position. You have to answer. You haven’t done anything in 2 weeks. What did you do after the interview? We want to hear from you!
Understand about Patanjali case in 6 points…
- IMA had filed a petition in the Supreme Court on 17 August 2022. It said that Patanjali did negative publicity against Covid vaccination and allopathy. At the same time, he falsely claimed to cure some diseases with his own Ayurvedic medicines.
- IMA argued that every company has the right to promote its products, but Patanjali’s claims are in direct violation of the ‘Drugs and Other Magic Remedies Act 1954’ and the ‘Consumer Protection Act 2019’.
- IMA expressed concern over misinformation being spread about allopathy and modern system of medicine. The petition said that Patanjali’s misleading advertisements slander allopathy and make false claims about the treatment of many diseases.
- The IMA had demanded the Central Government, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) and the Central Consumer Protection Authority of India (CCPA) to take action against advertisements that denigrate allopathy while promoting the AYUSH system of medicine.
- Some controversial statements given by Baba Ramdev were also mentioned in the petition. For example, calling allopathy a ‘stupid and bankrupt science’, claiming that people died due to the use of allopathic medicines during the second wave of Covid-19, etc.
- IMA also alleged that Patanjali spread rumors about the Covid vaccine, which created fear among people about getting the vaccine. It was also said in the petition that Patanjali ridiculed the youth who were looking for oxygen cylinders during Corona. The AYUSH Ministry has entered into an agreement with ASCI, yet Patanjali violated the instructions.
