Remarks against docs: Ramdev asks Supreme Court to club FIRs

New Delhi : Yoga teacher Ramdev -- who infuriated doctors across the country with his disparaging remarks on allopathic medicine – has approached the Supreme Court seeking a freeze on the police cases against him over the issue. He has also asked that the First Information Reports filed across the country be clubbed together and transferred to Delhi.

Last month, as the second wave of Covid ripped through the country killing thousands, Ramdev stirred a controversy with his remarks on the efficacy of allopathic drugs against the virus. In a widely shared video, he was heard saying, "Lakhs of people have died because of allopathic medicines, far more than those who died because they did not get treatment or oxygen."

He even purportedly called allopathy a "stupid and bankrupt" science, offending the whole medical fraternity.

Later, challenging calls for his arrest, said, "even their baap (father) cannot arrest Swami Ramdev". His firm, Patanjali, said it would give a "befitting reply" to any defamation notice.

Various units of the Indian Medical Association filed complaints against him with the police, based on which multiple cases were lodged. The association, which had sought an apology within 15 days, later sued him for defamation and demanded a compensation of Rs 1,000 crore.

The Delhi Medical Association also went to court, seeking a token compensation of Re 1 and an unconditional apology. Ramdev had withdrawn his comments within days, following a communication from the Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan.

But the Indian Medical Association has said they would drop the cases against him only if he withdrew his comments against allopathy in entirety.

"We have nothing against yoga guru Baba Ramdev. His statements are against vaccines for COVID-19. We think his statements could confuse people, may divert them. This is our big concern as he has many followers," said IMA chief Dr JA Jayalal.

Earlier this month, Ramdev said he would soon get the jab and described doctors as "God's envoys on earth".