Indian badminton ace Jwala Gutta's smashes are audacious. Her sharp reactions can't be far behind in comparison, the Hyderabad native has proven many times over her social media interaction.
In the latest episode, the person to be at the receiving end of Jwala Gutta's powerful off-court smash is popular actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu. The popular diva had recently courted controversy over her views on alternative medical treatments.
Entering the ongoing social media debate rather uninvited, Jwala asked Samantha who would take responsibility if things went south to any of her numerous followers after following her advice. Would the doctors that Samantha quoted would come forward at such a juncture, the athlete asked via X (formerly Twitter) on Friday.
Although Jwala Gutta didn't mention the South actor's name, it was obvious that the post was a direct question flung at her. Jwala's post on X read: "My only question to the celeb who’s prescribing a medicine to the huge number of people who are following her… I ustand the intention is to help…. But…just in case..just in case the prescription doesn’t help and causes a fatality…will u be taking the RESPONSIBILITY too????? Will the doctor who you have tagged also take the RESPONSIBILITY??"
Samantha's social media tussle over medical science -- the story so far
For the unversed, the story began when clinician-scientist Cyriac Abby Philips, aka 'The Liver Doc' recently took to X to debunk the latest pseudoscientific claim by actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu.
In an Instagram post, the actor had advised her followers to inhale hydrogen peroxide to treat respiratory viral infections.
Studies have shown that exposure to hydrogen peroxide can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, and other health hazards.
The Liver Doc posted a warning by The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, asking people not to nebulize and breathe in hydrogen peroxide as it is hazardous.
Criticising her in strong words for propagating pseudoscience, he called her "a health and science illiterate," and said the actor could face legal trouble in a a rational and scientifically progressive society.
"Will India's Health Ministry or any health regulatory body do something about these social media health influenzas damaging public health or will they remain spineless and let people die," he asked.
However, Samantha Ruth Prabhu appeared unwilling to see reason and claimed that she is being unfairly targeted because she was a celebrity.
In a long social media post, the actor claimed that "a certain gentleman" attacked her post and her intentions "in rather strong words."
Acknowledging that the doctor definitely more than her, she wrote"...I am quite sure his intentions were noble. It would have been kind and compassionate of him had he not been so provocative with his words."
"I suppose it goes with the territory of being a celebrity," she wrote.
In his response, The Liver Doc pointed out that the actor has been a serial offender, who has been endorsing unscientific, pseudoscientific and baseless alternative medicine therapies.
He explained that people like him take time out to "fight misinformation online because it is peddled by large influential "celebrity" accounts that have no regard for public health."
The Liver Doc noted that while engagement and monetization are their concerns, he is worried about public health and disease prevention.
If celebrity influencers really want to impact people positively, then start unlearning and re-learn, develop critical thinking skills, he said.
Jwala Gutta's post on X is an addition to this debate.