DMA moves SC, opposes Ramdev's plea seeking stay on FIRs lodged against him over remarks on Allopathy

The Delhi Medical Association (DMA) has moved the Supreme Court opposing yoga guru Ramdev's plea seeking a stay on proceedings in connection with multiple FIRs lodged over his alleged remarks against use of Allopathic medicines during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying he insulted Allopathy and "instigated" people to disregard vaccines and treatment protocols.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana on June 30 had asked Ramdev to place before it the original record of his statement allegedly given against the use of allopathic medicine for treating Covid.

The DMA, having 15,000 Delhi doctors as members, said that Ramdev's Patanjali earned over Rs 1,000 crore by selling Coronil kits which were not approved by medical bodies.

"While the entire medical fraternity of the country was fighting the deadly pandemic in unity and were trying to educate the public about the Covid vaccines and correct course of treatment, Ramdev...shockingly started a false propaganda against COVID-19 vaccines and the treatment protocol for COVID-19 with the mala fide intent to promote the sale of products namely 'Coronil Kit'," the DMA said in its plea filed through its president G S Grewal.

The plea, seeking to intervene as a party, has been filed through lawyer Ashish Kothari.

It said a misleading campaign to sell Coronil by falsely claiming that it has been approved and certified by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) and the World Health Organization (WHO) was initiated, the plea said.

The demand for Coronil was so high that Patanjali was selling around 10 lakh packs of Coronil every day. The total revenue earned by Patanjali from the sale of Coronil/Coronil Kits alone is believed to be in excess of Rs 1,000 crore, it said.

DMA called Ramdev a businessman clad as a yoga guru and said he does not have any degree or license to practice Ayurveda and prescribe medicines.

Ramdev allegedly referred to the modern medical system i.e. Allopathic science, as 'tamasha' and 'stupid science'. He allegedly further made comments that the doctors who are treating Covid patients don't know anything and claimed that even without a degree, he is a better doctor than qualified doctors, it said.

He also stated that even doctors having double shots of Covid vaccines could not save themselves, thereby discouraging people from even taking Covid vaccines, it alleged.

"By insulting Allopathy and Allopathic doctors, Ramdev attempted to create a false narrative that Ayurveda is a better science than Allopathic science and instigated people to disregard Allopathic vaccines and Covid treatment protocols issued by the central government," it said.

"The intent behind creation of this artificial rivalry between Allopathy and Ayurveda was to cast a doubt in the minds of people against the effectiveness of Covid vaccines and treatment protocols and encourage them to buy Coronil Kit which Ramdev falsely propagated as Ayurvedic preparations," it said.

It is pertinent to mention herein that the applicant has immense respect for medical practitioners from all fields, including Ayurveda and Homeopathy, and acknowledges and applauds the efforts of each and every medical practitioner who has served the public in these difficult times, it said.

The Delhi Medical Association said as it has also initiated some legal action against Ramdev, it should be allowed to be a party to the plea filed by him.

The top court has been hearing Ramdev's plea seeking a stay on the proceedings in connection with multiple FIRs lodged against him by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in Bihar and Chhattisgarh over his alleged remarks against the use of Allopathic medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Patna and Raipur chapters of the IMA have lodged complaints against Ramdev alleging that his remarks are likely to cause prejudice to the Covid control mechanism and may dissuade people from availing proper treatment against the pandemic.

In his plea, Ramdev has sought the FIRs lodged in Patna and Raipur be transferred to Delhi.