New Delhi: A day before the hearing in the Supreme Court regarding misleading advertisements by Patanjali, Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, MD of Patanjali, have filed affidavits in the court tendering "unconditional, unqualified" apology. Both Ramdev and Balkrishna assured the apex court they will be more vigilant in the future, and “always uphold the majesty of law and majesty of justice”.
Both Ramdev and Balkrishna in their affidavits said that they “sincerely regret the issue of advertisement from respondent no. 5 (Patanjali), which is an infraction of the order dated November 21, 2023”. They tendered “unconditional and unqualified apology”, and stressed that both never intended to violate orders of the apex court. “I state that no such lapse will occur in future. I will always uphold the majesty of law”, said Balkrishna, in his affidavit.
Ramdev, in his affidavit, said: “I hereby tender an unconditional and unqualified apology for the breach of the statement recorded in para 3 of the order of this court dated November 21, 2023. I further undertake and ensure that the said statement shall be complied with in letter and spirit and no such similar advertisements shall be issued. I further tender my unconditional and unqualified apology for the press conference held on November 22, 2023. I regret this lapse and assure that the same will not be repeated again in future”.
“I seek pardon for the aforesaid breach of the statement. I undertake to always uphold the Majesty of Law and Majesty of Justice”, added Ramdev. The apex court will hear the matter on Wednesday.
On April 2, the Supreme Court minced no words in criticizing Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna in connection with the language used by them in their affidavit, while they were physically present before the court, and gave them the last opportunity to file fresh affidavits within a week.
During the hearing, the bench declined to accept the "lip-service" apology offered by Patanjali in connection with the misleading advertisements despite apex court orders against it. The Supreme Court said that Patanjali "owes an apology to the whole nation" for their misleading claims and Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna are in "absolute defiance" of court order.
The apex court told the counsel, representing Ramdev and Balkrishna, “You have to abide by the undertaking given to court and you have broken every barrier.” The apex court made it clear that not just the Supreme Court, “every order passed by the courts across this country has to be respected ... this is absolute defiance.” The top court also wondered why the Centre chose to keep its eyes shut when Patanjali was going to town saying there was no remedy in allopathy for Covid.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, said what has happened should not have happened and offered to help the counsel for parties to find a solution to the whole issue. Senior advocate Balbir Singh, representing Ramdev, urged the court to take note of the presence of the yoga guru and his unconditional apology
The apex court sought explanation from the Uttarakhand government on why no action has been taken against Baba Ramdev and Patanjali for their misleading ads. "State is not discharging its duties", said the bench. In November last year, the Supreme Court, while hearing a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), cautioned Patanjali Ayurved against making "false" and "misleading" claims in advertisements about its medicines.
The apex court passed the order while hearing a plea by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) seeking action against Ramdev for his criticism of modern medicine.
Balkrishan, in his fresh affidavit, said, “I further undertake to ensure that such offending advertisements shall not be issued in the future. I affirm that no further offending advertisements were issued after February 27, 2024….I seek pardon for the aforesaid breach of the statement”. “I tender my unconditional and unqualified apology in this regard, on my own behalf and that of Respondent No. 5 (Patanjali). I never had any intention to violate orders of this court. I state that no such lapse will occur in future. I will always uphold the Majesty of law”, he said in the affidavit. Earlier, the apex court had refused to accept the affidavit by Balkrishna.
