On Tuesday, Indian yoga guru Ramdev expressed his apologies to the Supreme Court for continuing to air misleading advertisements that claimed his company’s traditional remedies could cure serious diseases like cancer. This act of defiance came despite previous court orders to cease such promotions.
The controversy centers around Patanjali Ayurved, the company co-founded by Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, which has been under scrutiny for advertisements that disparaged modern medicine while promoting its own products for treating various diseases. The Indian Medical Association brought the issue to the court’s attention through a petition in 2022, resulting in a contempt of court case against the company.
Despite assurances given to the court in November that the questionable advertising would stop, Patanjali Ayurved continued its promotions, leading to further legal action. Both Ramdev and Balkrishna personally delivered their apologies in a court session packed with attendees.
Addressing the court, Ramdev stated, “Most respected judge, whatever we have done, we have apologized for it. This all happened in the excitement of work, it won’t happen in the future.”
The Supreme Court, having previously rejected two formal apologies from the duo, responded cautiously. Justice Hima Kohli remarked, “We are not saying we will forgive you. We cannot be blind to your earlier history, we will think about your apology,” highlighting the court’s awareness of the repeat offenses.
Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah advised Ramdev to focus on his contributions to yoga without undermining allopathy (conventional medical treatments).
Patanjali Ayurved, established in 2006, has grown into a major business conglomerate, offering a diverse range of products from herbal toothpaste to noodles. The company has faced legal restrictions on advertising treatments for conditions such as asthma, cancer, and diabetes due to violations of Indian medicinal advertising laws.
The next hearing in this ongoing legal matter is scheduled for April 23, where the court will further address the issue.