New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday came down heavily on yoga guru Ramdev for criticising allopathy and allopathic practitioners, saying he needed to be restrained from abusing the doctors and other systems of treatment.

The top court also sought responses from the Union Health Ministry and Ministry of Ayush and Patanjali Ayurved Ltd on a plea of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) alleging a smear campaign against the vaccination drive and modern medicines.

'What happened to this Guru Swami Ramdev Baba?... Ultimately we respect him as he popularised yoga. We all go for this. But, he should not criticise the other system. What is the guarantee that ayurveda whatever system he is following will work? You see the type of advertisements accusing all the doctors as if they are killers or something. Huge advertisements (have been given), a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana said.

The bench, also comprising justices Hima Kohli and C T Ravikumar, said that the Yog Guru cannot abuse the doctors and the systems (of treatment)..It is better to restrain him.

Lawyer Amarjeet Singh, appearing for the IMA, referred to several advertisements which allegedly projected the allopath and the doctors in poor light, saying that "disparaging" statements have also been made by firms, engaged in the production of ayurvedic medicines, to mislead the general public.

These commercials say that the medical practitioners themselves are dying despite taking modern medicines, he said.

If this goes on unabated then it will cause serious prejudice to us," Singh said.

The top court, on 12 August, had agreed to hear the plea of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) alleging a smear campaign against modern medicines.

Singh had said that a concerted effort was being made to discourage the vaccinations, including the COVID-19 jab drive, and the use of allopathic medicines in the country.

This is a Writ Petition filed by the Indian Medical Association. This is a serious issue as there is a campaign against the vaccination drive and modern medicine in the entire country. The doctors are discouraged. People are misguided to disbelieve medical treatment, the lawyer had said.