'Ready for death penalty if...': Baba Ramdev on SC warning Patanjali over 'misleading' ads

A day after the Supreme Court cautioned Patanjali Ayurveda against making 'false' and 'misleading' claims in advertisements, Baba Ramdev said that a "gang of doctors" in modern medicine was running propaganda against the company. "A group of doctors is propagating against yoga, Ayurveda, naturopathy, and our Sanatana values," the yoga guru said while addressing the media. "The false propaganda claims that there is no solution in the synthetic world for diseases like blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, liver disease, kidney failure, etc."

Baba Ramdev, the co-founder of Patanjali Ayurveda, said that synthetic medicines are laboratory-manufactured drugs derived from natural sources. He said Patanjali has substantial real-world and scientific evidence of curing people through Patanjali's medicines. 

"In yoga, Ayurveda, and naturopathy, with integrated and evidence-based treatment systems, we cure diseases like type 1 diabetes, thyroid issues, high blood pressure, normalising sugar levels, obesity, and others. This is not false; this is true," Ramdev claimed.

On Tuesday, the SC said that all false and misleading advertisements of Patanjali Ayurveda have to stop immediately. "The court will take any such infraction very seriously...," a bench comprising justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Prashant Kumar Mishra said while hearing a plea of the Indian Medical Association (IMA).

The apex court had earlier this year issued notices to the Union Health Ministry and Ministry of Ayush and Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, on the plea of the IMA alleging a smear campaign by Ramdev against the vaccination drive and modern medicines. During the brief hearing, the bench asked Patanjali Ayurved not to publish misleading claims and advertisements against modern systems of medicine. It said the court may also consider imposing a fine of Rs 1 crore on every product if a false claim is made that it can cure a particular ailment.

Baba Ramdev on Wednesday said he respects the court, the country's law, and the Constitution, but asserted that Patanjali was not engaging in false propaganda. "If we are spreading false claims, impose core penalties. Give the death penalty; we are okay with it," he said.

The yoga guru also urged the authorities to take action against those who "propagate false propaganda". "For the last five years, people have been running false propaganda against yoga, naturopathy, Ayurveda, and our centuries-long medicinal traditions," he claimed.

Ramdev then said that in modern medical science, there were some individuals with tamasic and rajasic qualities, whom he had often referred to as the "medical mafia". "Now, they have become irritated." He also claimed that Patanjali has conducted over 500 research studies, incorporating real-world evidence, scientific findings, pre and post-clinical reports, clinical trials, and protocols.

Shares of Patanjali Foods declined 1.78 per cent to settle at Rs 1345.30 on BSE on Wednesday.