The Aryavarth Express
Agency (New Delhi): On Tuesday, Indian Medical Association (IMA) President R.V. Asokan tendered an unconditional apology to the Supreme Court for his statements made in an interview with PTI concerning Patanjali Ayurved Ltd’s misleading advertisements case. Asokan expressed regret for his comments during the hearing before a bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, who posed tough questions and refused to accept his affidavit of apology at this stage.
In his affidavit, Asokan acknowledged his mistake, stating that he should not have made such remarks while the matter was under consideration by the court. He emphasized his respect for the court and expressed remorse for his actions.
“The deponent hereby tenders his unconditional apology and expresses regret for his statements in relation to the order dated April 23, 2024, passed by this court in the present writ petition,” the affidavit said.
The Supreme Court’s April 23 order had criticized the IMA, suggesting that the association needed to address internal issues, including complaints of unethical behavior by its members. The court noted instances where medical professionals allegedly prescribed prohibitively expensive medicines and recommended unnecessary investigations for extraneous reasons.
The IMA’s 2022 plea alleged a smear campaign against the COVID-19 vaccination drive and modern medicine systems. On May 7, the court sought Asokan’s response to an application by Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, which urged judicial notice of Asokan’s interview statements.
In his affidavit, Asokan reiterated that he never intended to disrespect the court and emphasized the IMA’s commitment to ethical practices. He mentioned that the IMA takes steps to address complaints against medical professionals and remains dedicated to promoting adherence to ethical norms.
During the hearing, Asokan personally apologized to the bench and sought clemency. The bench, however, sternly reminded him that criticizing the court in a public interview was unacceptable. “You cannot sit on a couch giving an interview to the press and lampooning the court,” the bench stated.
Senior advocate P.S. Patwalia, representing the IMA, requested the court to give the association a chance to rectify the situation, acknowledging the court’s observations. The bench scheduled the matter for further hearing in July.
The controversy arose from Asokan’s comments during an April 29 PTI interview, where he described the Supreme Court’s criticism of the IMA and private doctors’ practices as “unfortunate.” The Supreme Court had previously noted that while pointing one finger at Patanjali, the remaining fingers were directed at the IMA.
