On June 30, the Supreme Court asked Baba Ramdev to place before it the original record of his statement on the use of allopathic medicine during COVID-19 pandemic. NV Ramana, Chief Justice, asked Mukul Rohatgi, senior advocate appearing for Baba Ramdev, about what was the original thing that he had said .
The bench comprised of Justices AS Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy, and was headed by NV Ramana. Mukul Rohatgi told the bench that he would file the original video along with the transcript. The bench allowed it and posted the matter for a hearing on July 5.
The SC was hearing Baba Ramdev’s pleas seeking stay on the proceedings in connection with multiple FIR lodged against him by IMA (Indian Medical Association) in Bihar and Chhattisgarh over the remarks made by him against use of allopathic medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic. The IMA’s of Patna and Raipur lodged complaints against the yoga guru alleging that his remarks were likely to cause prejudice to the COVID-19 control mechanism and may dissuade people from availing proper treatment against the pandemic.
Baba Ramdev in his plea had sought transfer of the FIR’s lodged in Patna and Raipur to Delhi. During the hearing conducted through the video conference, Rohatgi mentioned to the bench that Ramdev is a public figure and proponent of yoga and Ayurveda. The advocate also mentioned that Ramdev had read out a WhatsApp message during an event which had been sent to him.
Rohatgi said that Ramdev had clarified that he had nothing against doctors or anyone adding that several complaints had been registered against at different places, asking these complaints to be clubbed in Delhi. Rohatgi said that when in the previous year Patanjali had brought coronil then the allopathic doctors went against him.
The advocate added that Ramdev was not against them and why should he go to so many places, everyone has a freedom of speech. Baba Ramdev had been booked under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code and Disaster Management Act, 2005. Sections 188, 269 and 504 of the IPC had been invoked against Baba Ramdev.
Ramdev had withdrawn his statements on May 23, which created a nation wide debate over Allopathy versus Ayurveda, after having received a letter from the Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan who said that the yoga guru’s remark were inappropriate. Baba Ramdev had sought for clubbing of FIRs on the issue and their transfer to Delhi and as an interim relief. He had also urged for a stay on the investigation in connection with the criminal complaints.
