Yoga guru Ramdev and his associate Acharya Balkrishna have issued a new, more substantial apology in leading newspapers for the misleading advertisements of Patanjali’s medicinal products. This move comes a day after the Supreme Court questioned whether the size of the previous apology was comparable to full-page advertisements for the company’s products.
In the advertisement, Ramdev and Balkrishna expressed their “unconditional apology” in their individual capacities as well as on behalf of Patanjali Ayurved for the “non-compliance or disobedience of directions/orders of the Supreme Court of India.”
“We earnestly apologize for the mistake made in publishing our advertisements and it is our whole-hearted commitment that such errors will not be repeated,” the apology stated.
During a contempt proceedings hearing related to the misleading ads case, the Supreme Court had inquired about the size of the apology published by Patanjali in newspapers, comparing it to the full-page advertisements for its products.
Ramdev and Balkrishna informed a bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah that they had issued an unqualified public apology in as many as 67 newspapers over misleading ads and were willing to issue additional advertisements expressing their contrition. They mentioned that the advertisements cost Rs 10 lakh.
The court questioned why the apology was filed only after one week, just ahead of the Supreme Court hearing. “Is the apology the same size as your advertisements?” Justice Kohli questioned.
Additionally, the court ordered Patanjali to compile the ads and submit them before the bench.
Before this incident, Ramdev and Balkrishna had tendered an “unconditional and unqualified apology” to the top court over advertisements issued by the firm making tall claims about the medicinal efficacy of its products like Coronil during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Supreme Court had directed Patanjali to cease all advertisements of its products that claimed to treat ailments and disorders specified in the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, following a plea filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) seeking action against Ramdev for criticizing modern medicine.
After facing criticism from the Supreme Court, Patanjali Ayurved tendered an unconditional apology, stating that its intention was only to encourage citizens to lead healthier lives by using its products.
In November 2023, the Supreme Court instructed Patanjali Ayurved to stop making misleading claims and advertisements against the modern system of medicine, to which Patanjali had assured the court that it would refrain from making any unsubstantiated claims.