In Short:
Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna apologized in court for violating a Supreme Court order against advertising their herbal products. The court gave them one week to prove their sincerity. The judges criticized their actions during the pandemic and questioned their claims about the superiority of their medicines. Ramdev admitted his mistakes and promised to be more careful. The court emphasized the importance of upholding the law and protecting the public from misleading advertisements.
Apology from Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna in Contempt Case
In a dramatic turn of events, Baba Ramdev and his associate Acharya Balkrishna apologized in an open court on Tuesday for violating a Supreme Court order prohibiting the advertisement of their company, Patanjali Ayurved‘s herbal products. The Supreme Court, however, emphasized that they are still accountable for their actions.
Unconditional Apology
Visibly contrite, the self-styled yoga guru and his associate expressed deep remorse for their actions. The Bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah granted them a week to demonstrate their sincerity in apologizing.
Impending Investigation
The court questioned Baba Ramdev on why he continued to advertise herbal medicines despite facing a potential investigation under the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act by the Union government. The judges deemed the advertisements by Patanjali to be deliberate violations of the 1954 Act, especially during the ongoing pandemic.
Justice Kohli also criticized Ramdev for undermining other fields of medicine like allopathy and making unfounded claims about the superiority of his company’s products.
Admission and Reflection
During the hearing, Baba Ramdev acknowledged that he may have made exaggerated claims in the past. He humbly apologized to the Supreme Court and pledged to be more cautious in the future.
Acharya Balkrishna echoed Ramdev’s sentiments, admitting his mistakes and attributing them to his lack of knowledge.
Government Failure
During the previous hearing, the Supreme Court had expressed concerns about FMCG companies like Patanjali misleading the public while the government failed to take action. Justice Hima Kohli emphasized the need to protect consumers from false advertising by such companies.
It is clear that the law applies to everyone, and the majesty of the court must be upheld regardless of who is involved.
