Bad news for Navjot Singh Sidhu as he gets Rs 850 crore legal notice for…
Former Team India batter Navjot Singh Sidhu has landed in hot waters over the claims that his wife, Navjot Kaur Sidhu, was able to overcome stage 4 cancer within 40 days with the help of a “strict diet”. The former Punjab Congress chief has been served a legal notice of Rs 850 crore by Chhattisgarh Civil Society for allegedly “misleading” cancer patients with false claims.
In a statement, society convenor Dr. Kuldeep Solanki said that Navjot Sidhu’s claims of his wife making a miraculous recovery from stage 4 cancer without allopathic medicines is dubious and misleading, which could prove dangerous for others who are battling cancer as they would lose faith in allopathic treatments and put their lives at risk.
Sidhu must apologize of pay Rs 850 crore compensation
Following Sidhu’s claims Dr Solanki said the society has served a legal notice to the cricketer-turned-politician, and asked him to present his wife’s medical treatment documents to support his claim within a week’s time. The society has also demanded an apology from Sidhu, failing which he would have to pay a compensation of $100 million (roughly Rs 850 crore).
“Do you support your husband’s claims that you became cancer free by switching to diet of lemon water, basil leaves, turmeric, neem leaves, and without any other allopathic medicine?” the society asked Navjot Kaur in its notice.
It further asked whether she denies benefitting from any allopathic medical treatment she underwent at various hospitals, and demanded her to submit documents supporting her claim within 7 days. “If you support your husband’s claim, then provide us all the certified documents within 7 days which prove that you have defeated stage 4 cancer in just 40 days by changing your diet without any medicine or medical help,” it stated.
Sidhu issues clarification
Meanwhile, after oncologists questioned his claim, Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday clarified that the diet plan was implemented in consultation with doctors and should be considered “facilitation in the treatment”. Addressing a presser in Amritsar, Sidhu stated that his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu had been declared cancer-free, emphasizing the role of dietary and lifestyle changes in her recovery.
However, oncologists at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai warned that cancer patients should not delay or stop their treatment by following unproven remedies.
In a video message posted on X on Monday, Sidhu said, “I want to say that a doctor is like God to me, and doctors have always been my priority. I have a doctor (Navjot Kaur Sidhu) at home. Whatever we have done was done with the consultation of doctors in a collaborative process.”
‘Jaisa mann, waisa tann’
The former Punjab Congress chief also shared the diet plan and wrote, “My wife’s cancer journey involved surgeries, chemotherapy, hormonal and targeted therapy, positivity and determination to fight cancer which was facilitated by a strict diet plan inspired by Indian Ayurveda, the nobel prize winning research of Yoshinori Ohsumi for discoveries of the mechanisms autophagy and observation of eminent doctors worldwide.”
The diet chart included lemon water, turmeric, apple cider vinegar, walnuts, juice made from beetroot, carrot, and amla, among other items. She also consumed neem leaves, but sugar, dairy products and wheat were removed from her diet, he said. Sidhu also mentioned that his wife was given water with a pH level of seven.
Sidhu quoted an old saying — ‘jaisa ann, waisa mann, waisa tann’ (as is the food, so is the mind and body), and added, “Consider this diet chart as facilitation in the treatment.”
“My mother used to say ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (the whole world is my family). We want to share the benefits we receive with everyone,” he said.
Speaking about her experience, Navjot Kaur Sidhu said it was difficult for her to follow the diet initially but she stated to feel good after a few days. “I began losing weight, and the swelling started reducing. I have lost 30 kg. Somewhere, the Ayurvedic diet benefitted me a lot,” she said.
Doctors warn against ‘unscientific’ methods
On November 23, Dr C S Pramesh, Director of Tata Memorial Hospital, posted a video of Sidhu’s press conference on X and said, “Parts of the video imply that starving cancer by avoiding dairy products and sugar, and consuming haldi (turmeric) and neem, helped cure her ‘incurable’ cancer.”
“Please don’t believe or be fooled by these statements, regardless of who they come from. These are unscientific and baseless recommendations. It was surgery and chemotherapy, which are evidence-based treatments, that made her cancer-free, not haldi, neem, or other such remedies,” the doctor added.
(With PTI inputs)
