Ramdev Remarks on Allopathy: After IMA, DMA, seven more doctors associations move Delhi HC

Directing the associations to place on record the videos pertaining to the alleged misinformation, the High Court bench comprising of Justice C Hari Shankar has listed the matter to be heard on Monday, i.e. July 19.

PTI adds that the associations before court are three Resident Doctors' Association of All India Institute of Medical Sciences at Rishikesh, Patna and Bhubaneshwar, Association of Resident Doctors, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, Union of Resident Doctors of Punjab (URDP); Resident Doctors' Association, Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial Medical College, Meerut and Telangana Junior Doctors' Association, Hyderabad.

Among these, the Resident Doctors' Association of AIIMS have filed a suit against the Yoga Guru under Section 91 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (CPC), accompanied by an application seeking leave of the Court, seeking a permanent and mandatory injunction against Baba Ramdev for his alleged statement on allopathy, adds ANI.

The associations were represented by senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Akhil Sibal and advocate Harshvardhan Kotla.

Advocates representing the doctors' associations submitted before the court that the mala fide and misinformation campaign by Baba Ramdev during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic amounts to public nuisance.

They alleged that Ramdev was misleading and misrepresenting to the public at large that allopathy was responsible for the deaths of several people infected by the COVID19 virus, and insinuating that allopathic doctors were causing deaths and profiteering off the patients.

In their plea, the associations have submitted that the yoga guru was sowing doubts in the minds of the general public with respect to the safety and efficacy of not only allopathic treatments but also COVID-19 vaccines.

Being a highly influential person, it is apprehended that Ramdev's statements can influence lakhs of people and divert them from allopathic treatments which are prescribed as the standard form of care even by the government, they said.

The associations alleged that the misinformation campaign was nothing but an advertisement and marketing strategy to further the sales of the product sold by Ramdev, including Coronil which claims to be an alternative treatment for COVID-19.

The battle between the medical fraternity and Baba Ramdev has been going on for the last six months. During the course of this battle, several ugly and defamatory remarks were made, that resulted in a series FIRs being filed against the "yoga guru" and case proceedings eventually began.

In the recent plea before the Delhi High Court the associations have pleaded that with the third wave of COVID-19 likely to set in August, it is imperative that Ramdev's sustained misinformation campaign be brought to a halt.

The court on June 3 had issued summons to Ramdev on a plea by Delhi Medical Association in connection with his statements against allopathic medicines and claiming Patanjali's Coronil kit is a cure for COVID-19.

The court had refused to restrain Ramdev at that stage saying the allopathic profession was not so fragile. It had however orally asked Ramdev's counsel to tell him not to make any provocative statements.