After Yoga guru Ramdev withdrew his statements against allopathic medicine, the union Health Minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan appreciated the action of Ramdev. Dr. Vardhan had earlier called the comments made by Ramdev on allopathic medicines as extremely unfortunate and had asked the latter to apologize. Following this, Ramdev issued an apology over his Twitter handle. In a letter, Ramdev withdrew his comment on allopathy and wrote that he is not opposed to modern medical science and allopathy.
With this development, the confrontation between the medical professionals and Ramdev seemingly saw a pause.
The health minister said on Sunday that the way yoga guru Ramdev withdrew his statements against allopathic medicine and halted the controversy over the issue is laudable and shows his maturity.
Vardhan wrote on Twitter, “The way yoga guru Ramdev withdrew his statements against allopathic medicine and halted the controversy over the issue is laudable and shows his maturity. We have to show the world how the people of India have faced COVID-19. Of course, our victory is certain!”
Medical professionals vs Ramdev
Ramdev is the face of one of India’s biggest consumer goods and alternative medicine empires, ie Patanjali. He was asked to apologize by the Indian Medical Association for ostensibly saying that more people died of modern medical treatments during the Covid-19 crisis than the coronavirus itself. The topmost association of Indian doctors had sent him a legal notice that demanded a written apology and withdrawal of the statements. The association also said that Ramdev had damaged the reputation of practitioners of allopathy and modern medicine when they are striving to save lives during the pandemic.
In a video that was widely shared on social media, Ramdev was heard saying at a recent event, “Lakhs of people have died because of allopathic medicines, far more than those who died because they did not get treatment or oxygen.” The face of Patanjali, which is itself mired in various controversies around its products, had also purportedly called allopathy a “stupid and bankrupt” science.
Dr. Tushar Mehta, who is an Orthopaedic Surgeon, Educationist, Orator, Investor and Entrepreneur had castigated Ramdev calling him a bigot. He wrote on Twitter, “Till now it was still tolerable but this video by Ramdev has crossed all limits. I am not against Ayurveda but this fraud man is making serious allegations now! Considering the following this bigot has, he is nothing less than a pandemic now ! He should be taught his limits ASAP !”
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On Saturday, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) had lashed out at Ramdev for his remarks on allopathy and had asked the Union health minister to prosecute him under Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 or accept his accusations and dissolve the modern medical facility.
“Enough is enough,” IMA had said slamming Ramdev for what it called “repeatedly taking advantage of the situation and creating fear among the public to sell his illegal drugs.”
IMA had written to the health minister, “When such idolised personal are making vitriolic comments, questioning the authority and integrity of the whole architecture of health ministry, the health minister, who himself is a practicing modern medicine allopathic postgraduate and the head of this ministry, should either accept the challenge and accusation of this gentleman and dissolve the modern medicine facility or boldly face and prosecute the person for his words of arson on the sovereignty of the country and book him under the Epidemic Diseases Act to save millions of people from such unscientific utterances.”
