Delhi HC issues summons to Ramdev on DMA plea for making statement against allopathic medicine
New Delhi, June 3: The Delhi High Court Thursday issued summons to yoga guru Ramdev on a plea accusing him of making statements against allopathic medicines and claiming Patanjali's Coronil kit is a cure for COVID-19 but refused to restrain him at this stage saying the allopathic profession was not so fragile.
The high court however orally asked Ramdev's counsel to tell him not to make any provocative statements.
Mr Rajiv Nayar is a very respectable senior (advocate). I am sure his client will listen to him, Justice C Hari Shankar said.
The high court issued summons to Ramdev on the suit filed by Delhi Medical Association (DMA) and asked him to file response in three weeks and listed the matter for hearing on July 13.
Considerable time has passed since passing of allegedly injurious statements. The counsel says defendant no. 1 (Ramdev) continues to make statement. No injunctive order can be given without giving an opportunity to the plaint, especially in view of the objections. Issue summons on the suit, Justice Shankar said.
The court also issued summons to social media platforms Twitter and Facebook and Astha channel, who are made parties to the petition.
DMA, on behalf of its doctor members, submitted before the court that Ramdev's statement affects as Coronil medicine does not cure coronavirus and it is misleading. It has claimed a token damage of Rs 1 from him.
On being asked by the court as to how did this statement affect the association, senior advocate Rajiv Dutta, representing DMA, said it affects because this medicine does not cure coronavirus and this was a suit for civil rights of doctors.
The court said it cannot say as to whether Coronil is a cure or not and that it was something to be decided by medical experts.
The judge said he was "least concerned" with the association's argument that Ramdev was a powerful person having large number of followers.
Ramdev is a person who doesn't have faith is allopathy. He believes everything can be cured by Yoga and Ayurveda. He may be right or wrong," he said.
He added that the court can understand it is argued his statements are affecting the public but here you say oh my God Ramdev has done something. You people should be spending time to find cure for the pandemic instead of wasting the court's time .
On the point of locus of DMA to file the suit, Dutta said it was affecting the public and also the members of the association as the statements made in open affects and that Ramdev was calling this science fake.
To this, the judge said, If I feel some science is fake. Tomorrow I will feel homeopathy is fake. Do you mean they will file a suit against me? I put in on twitter. You will say take down the Twitter account. It is a public opinion. I do not think your allopathic profession is so fragile , and added that it has to be tested on the touchstone of free speech.
The court said someone has a view that it is because of inefficacy of allopathic medicines that so many people have died and it was of the view that it comes under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.
Senior advocate Rajiv Nayar, representing Ramdev, raised preliminary objection on the maintainability of the plea and argued that prima facie the suit was not maintainable as they are asking for an injunction and raising the ground of public good.
Dutta also said that Ayush Ministry had made a statement that Coronil was not a cure for COVID-19 and could not be advertised as such and had also asked Patanjali to give details after which Ramdev had clarified that it was an immunity booster.
The court noted that Ramdev has clarified and said with this clarification the entire grievance of DMA should have gone.
If this was mandatory on Patanjali (to give details and not to advertise) and if he acts in violation, it is for the Ayush Ministry to look into, Why are you carrying the torch, the court said.
DMA's counsel further claimed that Patanjali had made Rs 25 crore from Coronil sales, after it was touted as a cure for COVID-19 and that he has a vast following in the country.
The court said, "Is he to be blamed for people buying Coronil?" and suggested the association to file a public interest litigation instead of pursuing the suit.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
