Supreme Court asks Ramdev to place original record of his statement on allopathy
The Supreme Court on June 30 asked Baba Ramdev to place before it the original record of his assertion on the usage of allopathic medicine for the duration of COVID-19 pandemic.
“What is the original thing which he has said? You have not placed the whole thing,” a Bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana asked senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who was performing for the yoga guru.
Mr. Rohatgi told the Bench, also comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy, that he could file the original video together with the transcript.
“Okay,” the Bench stated and posted the matter for hearing on July 5.
The pinnacle court was hearing Mr. Ramdev’s plea looking for stay on the proceedings in reference to a couple of FIRs lodged against him by Indian Medical Association (IMA) in Bihar and Chhattisgarh over his remarks against use of allopathic medicinal drug for the duration of COVID-19 pandemic.
The Patna and Raipur chapters of the IMA have lodged lawsuits towards Mr. Ramdev alleging that his feedback are probably to cause prejudice to the COVID-19 control mechanism and may dissuade people from availing right remedy against the pandemic.
In his plea, he has sought transfer of the FIRs lodged in Patna and Raipur to Delhi.
During the hearing conducted through videoconferencing, Mr. Rohatgi informed the Bench that Mr. Ramdev is a public figure and proponent of yoga and ayurveda.
He stated that in an event, Mr. Ramdev had read out a WhatsApp message which was sent to him.
Mr. Ramdev has clarified that he has not anything towards doctors or anyone, Mr. Rohatgi stated, including that numerous complaints have been registered against at different places.
“Different complaints and FIRs were filed against him,” he stated, including that these complaints be clubbed in Delhi.
Mr. Rohatgi stated that last year, when Patanjali had brought ‘coronil’, allopathic doctors went against him.
“He [Ramdev] is not against them. Why should he visit so many places. Everybody has freedom of speech,” he stated.
The yoga guru has been booked under numerous provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to an contamination of disease dangerous to life) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the IPC were invoked against him.
Mr. Ramdev, whose alleged statements created a nation-extensive debate over Allopathy versus Ayurveda issue, however, had withdrawn his statements on May 23 after receiving a letter from Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan who had referred to as his remarks as “inappropriate”.
Mr. Ramdev has sought clubbing of FIRs on the issue and their transfer to Delhi and as an interim relief, he has entreated for a stay on the research in reference to the complaints.
