Court turns tables, grills doctors’ body following Patanjali’s complaint about interview

PTC News Desk: The tides turned dramatically as the Indian Medical Association (IMA) found itself under scrutiny by the Supreme Court during today’s hearing regarding the controversial case involving Yoga guru Ramdev and his associate Balkrishna over misleading advertisements.

Surprisingly, the IMA, originally the petitioner in the case, faced the bench’s ire led by Justice Hima Kohli and Justice A Amanullah, regarding an interview given by its president RV Asokan, where he made comments regarding the ongoing case. The bench questioned the IMA’s stance, pointing out the contradiction in their criticism of Patanjali Ayurved while their own president commented publicly on the matter.

Senior Advocate PS Patwalia, representing the IMA, defended the organisation, stating that they had primarily praised the court but admitted that Asokan had made an inadvertent slip during the interview. However, the court expressed dissatisfaction, indicating that the matter had been raised previously, expecting a response from the IMA.

The court highlighted the significance of the president’s statements, emphasising that they amounted to interference in judicial proceedings, despite the IMA’s attempt to downplay the issue. Justice Amanullah reiterated that the court did not seek accolades but expected the IMA to exercise caution in such matters.

Despite Patwalia’s plea for leniency and time until the next hearing, the court remained resolute, underscoring the gravity of the situation and its impact on the proceedings. The court also addressed Balkrishna’s petition against the IMA president’s statements, condemning them as attempts to undermine the court’s authority.

This development marked a shift in focus following the court’s earlier reprimand of Ramdev and Balkrishna for their misleading advertisements, which claimed Patanjali products could cure various health conditions. Despite their attempts to apologise, the court remained firm, emphasizing the seriousness of their actions.

In its initial petition against Ramdev and Patanjali, the IMA had raised concerns over the dissemination of misinformation and false claims regarding the efficacy of Patanjali products in treating certain diseases, portraying allopathy and doctors in a negative light.