Navjot Singh Sidhu, wife get Rs 850 Cr notice: What is their viral cancer treatment claim?

Cricketer-turned TV personality-turned politician Navjot Singh Sidhu found himself in a major controversy when he claimed that his wife Navjot Kaur’s cancer was cured by following a diet plan.

The duo received a Rs 850-crore notice from the Chhattisgarh Civil Society, which demanded an apology from Sidhu and asked Kaur to provide evidence to back up her claims. It asked them to offer clarification within seven days, failing which the organisation would take legal action against Kaur.

“It has the potential to create negativity in people’s minds towards allopathic medicine and treatment. It is compelling even cancer patients to leave the medication in between, which has increased their life risks,” reads the notice.

According to a Business Standard report, CCS convenor Dr Kuldeep Solanki said, "False claims like this are confusing people and making them think negatively about allopathic medicine and therapy."

At a press conference earlier this month, Sidhu claimed that following certain remedies helped his wife beat Stage 4 cancer, despite the doctors giving her a little more than a month to live. He reportedly equated cancer with “inflammation”, suggesting that it is caused by milk, wheat (carbohydrates), refined maida, and sugar.

He later clarified that the diet plan was implemented in consultation with doctors and should be considered “facilitation in the treatment”. He also noted that Kaur's treatment included surgeries, chemotherapy, and hormonal therapy.

He released a diet plan which included lemon water, turmeric, apple cider vinegar, walnuts, juice made from beetroot, carrot, and amla, among other items. He said his wife also consumed neem leaves, but sugar, dairy products and wheat were removed from her diet.

“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," Sidhu further stated, according to ANI.

The viral claim sparked debate on social media, with many trolling the Congress politician for his unsubstantiated claims. His statement also evoked responses from experts, with 262 present and former oncologists at Tata Memorial Hospital saying that while such diets are currently being researched, "there is no clinical data currently to recommend their use as anti-cancer agents."