"Size matters": Patanjali's Apology Gets Bigger, But Does It Get Better?

Following a stern rebuke from the Supreme Court, yoga guru Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved Limited's Balkrishna have seemingly complied with the apex court's directive and published a bigger public apology in newspapers. On Wednesday, various publications carried a significantly larger public apology compared to the one published earlier, as the court questioned the size of their initial apology concerning the misleading advertisements. Although the new apology issued by Patanjali is bigger, it does not contain any pictures of Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev or even the company’s logo. Netizens across all social media platforms, sharing pictures of Patanjali’s apology questioned if it was sincere enough.

Titled "Unconditional Public Apology," Patanjali's statement covers nearly a quarter of newspaper space, expressing regret for non-compliance with the Supreme Court's orders. The apology, signed by Balkrishna and Ramdev, acknowledged mistakes in publishing misleading advertisements and pledged adherence to court directives with sincerity. “In wake of an on going matter before the Honourable Supreme Court of India, we in our individual capacity as well as on behalf of the company, unconditionally apologise for the non-compliance or disobedience of directions/orders of the Honourable Supreme Court of India,” the apology read. Patanjali Ayurved promised that that such errors will not be repeated in the future. “We unconditionally extend the apology for holding meeting/press conference dated 22.11.2023. We earnestly apologise for the mistake made in publishing our advertisements and it is our whole-hearted commitment that such errors will not be repeated. We undertake to abide by directions and instructions of the Supreme Court with due care and utmost sincerity. We undertake to uphold the majesty of the court and comply with applicable laws and directions of the court of law/relevant authorities,” added the public apology.

Amidst Patanjali's recent and notably larger public apology in newspapers, netizens have taken to various social media platforms to question its sincerity. Notably absent from this latest expression of regret are the familiar grandiose elements synonymous with Patanjali's advertising style: Yoga guru Ram Dev's picture and the company's logo. The absence of Ram Dev's image and the company logo in Patanjali's latest public apology, issued in response to Supreme Court directives, has raised eyebrows among social media users. Known for their larger-than-life advertising campaigns, Patanjali's departure from their usual style has left many questioning the sincerity of their public apology. Moreover, the ambiguity that lingers in the apology issued has also been underscored by several of them. “After SC rap, Patanjali published another unconditional apology in leading newspapers today. The size got bigger. No picture of either Ramdev or Balkrishna” questioned Piyush Rai on “X”.

Another “X” account with the user name TheLiverDoc stated that Patanjali must also apologise to the general masses and not just to the Supreme Court. “This apology from Patanjali Ayurveda and the scamsters that run it, Ramdev and Balakrishna, is still not an apology for the healthcare harms they unleashed over the decade on the Indian public. They misled the people on unsubstantiated, unscientific claims of their junk Ayurvedic herbal products, they abused, denigrated and increased distrust in scientific medicine and advertised cures for non-communicable diseases by putting up promotional materials [of misinformation] on their untested herbal garbage. They have to apologize to the public of India and not dramatically suck up to the apex court. Apologise properly @yogrishiramdev and @Ach_Balkrishna. Say it out loud,” he posted.

Social media has been buzzing with scepticism and shade being thrown at Patanjali's recent public apology. While the apology expresses regret to the Supreme Court, netizens are raising concerns that it fails to adequately clarify what exactly the company or Yoga Guru Ramdev is apologizing for. ‘

The size disparity between the recent apology and the previous one raised questions during Tuesday's Supreme Court hearing. "Has the apology been published prominently? Same font and size as your earlier advertisements?" Justice Hima Kohli had inquired during the Supreme Court hearing in connection with the misleading ads case on Tuesday. Mukul Rohatgi, representing Ramdev, informed the court that Patanjali had now published apologies in 67 newspapers at significant expense, however, the court demanded a more sincere apology, that is in proportion to grandiose Patanjali advertisements.

The Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, was hearing a contempt case against Patanjali Ayurved Limited for misleading medical advertisements, contravening a prior undertaking to the court. Ramdev and Balkrishna's public apology, appearing in newspapers, addressed the ongoing matter before the Supreme Court and expressed regret for past non-compliance, emphasizing their commitment to rectify errors, the apology reiterated the importance of upholding court directives and respecting the law.

The case traces back to Patanjali's promotion of Coronil during the COVID-19 pandemic, which sparked controversy over claims of efficacy and certification. Allegations of spreading misinformation and disregarding medical norms prompted legal action from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and subsequent intervention by the Supreme Court. Despite earlier warnings and assurances from Patanjali's counsel, the company's alleged persistence in misleading advertising led to contempt proceedings. 

The matter will resume on April 30, with Ramdev and Balkrishna summoned to appear before the court to demonstrate their sincerity in addressing the contemptuous conduct.​​