The apology did not speak about Patajali's misleading claims made in earlier advertisements or its comments against the use of modern medicine treatments during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday, 23 April 23, repeatedly questioned Patanjali Ayurved’s Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna for the tiny size of the apology they published in newspapers for their misleading medical advertisements in the violation of their undertaking to the Supreme Court last November.
“When you issue an apology, it does not mean that we have to see it by a microscope’, Justice Hima Kohli said, according to a LiveLaw report.
Yesterday, Patanjali Ayurved published advertisements in certain newspapers expressing an apology for the “mistake of publishing advertisements and holding a press conference even after our advocates made a statement in the apex court”.
Patanjali’s lawyer, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, informed the bench about the advertisements. Both Ramdev and Balkrishna were personally present in Court.
The netizens took exception to the small advertisements and called it “stamp-sized” and “tiny”.
Referring to the size of the advertisements, the bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah asked Patanjali Ayurved if the public apology they published in newspapers yesterday was as big as their advertisements.
Rohatgi said that the apology was published in 67 newspapers and it cost tens of lakhs of rupees. “Does it cost the same tens of lakhs of rupees for the full-page advertisements you published? We are wondering”, Justice Kohli asked.
Adjourning the hearing until April 30, the bench asked Patanjali’s lawyers to bring on record a copy of the apology advertisements and reprimanded them for not producing them.
“Cut the actual newspaper clippings and keep them handy. For you to photocopy by enlarging, it may not impress us. We want to see the actual size of the ad. When you issue an apology, it does not mean we have to see it by a microscope,” Justice Kohli said.
Interestingly, a day before the proceedings, Patanjali Ayurved Limited decided to publish a small eight-line apology in a newspaper, which could easily go unnoticed.
The apology by Patanjali Ayurved Limited, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, was published on Monday, 22 April:
“Patanjali Ayurved fully respects the dignity of the Hon’ble Supreme Court. We sincerely apologize for the mistake of publishing advertisements and holding a press conference even after our advocates made a statement in the apex court. We are committed to not letting such a mistake be repeated ever in the future. We reassure you that we shall remain committed to upholding the constitution and the dignity of the Hon’ble Supreme Court,” it read.
Kerala-based Ophthalmologist Dr K V Babu, who led the fight against Patanjali’s misleading ads, took to X after Patanjali’s “apology”.
“Poster size Advertisement! Stamp-size apology!” he said,
Many others including Abby Philip, who goes by the handle Theliverdoc on X, too, slammed the apology.
“Scamdev senior and Scamdev junior, owners of pride of India, Patanjali Ayurveda, has issued what “they” consider a public apology for decades of anti-science promotions and defrauding Indian public through misleading advertisements of their absolutely worthless Ayurvedic herbal products. They have insulted the Apex Court by issuing this obituary of an apology in the newspapers which is not even worthy of being used for packing Ayurvedic peanuts,”
Scamdev senior and Scamdev junior, owners of pride of India, Patanjali Ayurveda, has issued what “they” consider a public apology for decades of anti-science promotions and defrauding Indian public through misleading advertisements of their absolutely worthless Ayurvedic herbal… pic.twitter.com/mmjZ3F7xya
— TheLiverDoc (@theliverdr) April 22, 2024
A post by a handle, Voters Union, said: “Prachar kitna rangeen aur kitna bada tha. Maafi itna chota aur rangheen???”
“This is stamp-size apology published by Patanjali in several leading publication. One would barely notice. SC should act on it and make them publish a full-page apology,” a post by Piyush Rai said.
Meanwhile, several even called the apology “vague” as it did not mention misleading the public by claiming a “cure” in their published advertisements.
This is the stamp-size apology published by Patanajali in several leading publication. One would barely notice. SC should act on it and make them publish a full page apology. pic.twitter.com/iXQGr42Wlk
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) April 22, 2024
“This is no apology; rather, it’s again contemptuous. One, it’s not from Ramdev and Balkrishna. They’re contemnors. Two, it’s unnoticeable. Three, why the counsel for Ramdev and Bal Kishan themselves submitted before the court, it’s totally misleading and hoodwinks the court,” another post said.
The public also demanded a front-page, full-page apology with Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna’s faces. The post by SriHarsha said, “The cost has to be borne by Patanjali only,”
Speaking to South First, Dr Jayesh Lele, Secretary General of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), who filed the petition against Patanjali Ayurveda Limited, said, ‘The advertisement that appeared in the media was so extensive, and this apology does not even clearly address their criticism of allopathy.”
“Additionally, their claims about curing diseases were also objected to, and there is no mention of that in this apology. They have violated the 1954 Act as they cannot permit such advertisements,” he said.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
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