IMA demands action against Ramdev for remarks on allopathy
New Delhi: Accusing yoga guru Ramdev of misleading people, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Saturday asked the Union health ministry to take action against him for making "unlearned" statements against allopathy and defaming scientific medicine.
In a statement, the IMA said, "Ramdev should be prosecuted under the Epidemic Diseases Act as "untutored" statements are "a threat to the literate society of the country as well as to the poor people falling prey to him." The IMA said it has also sent a legal notice to Ramdev seeking 'written apology' and 'recall of statements' by him.
Citing a video circulating on social media, the apex doctor's body said that Ramdev is seen saying that "allopathy ek aisi stupid aur diwalilya science hai… (allopathy is such a stupid science)".
Ramdev also says that "lakhs of people have died after taking allopathic medicines", the association said, adding that Ramdev claimed Remdesivir, Faviflu, and all other drugs, which were approved by the Drugs Controller General of India, have failed in the treatment of Covid-19 patients.
"Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan who himself is a practicing modern medicine allopathic postgraduate and head of this (health) ministry, should either accept the challenge and accusation of this gentleman and dissolve the modern medical 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 Act to save millions of people from such unscientific utterances," the IMA said.
"Ramdev is trying to take advantage of the situation and create a sense of fear and frustration among the people at large. He is doing this "so that he can sell his illegal and unapproved so-called medicines and make money at the cost of the public at large." the association said. Reacting to the controversy, Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust issued a statement, denying the comments, and said, "it is clarified that the truncated version of the video is totally out of context of what is sought to be conveyed by Swami jee."
Asserting that Ramdev has "utmost regards" for doctors and support staff who have been working day and night during such a challenging time of the pandemic, the statement signed by Trust General Secretary Acharya Balakrishna said, "Swami jee has no ill-will against the modern science and good practitioners of modern medicine. What is being attributed against him is false and nugatory."
Later, the Delhi Medical Association (DMA) on Saturday lodged a police complaint against yoga guru Ramdev for allegedly describing modern medicine as a "stupid science".
