Baba Ramdev withdraws ‘objectionable’ statement on allopathy after Union health minister Harsh Vardhan’s rap

After receiving a strong worded letter from Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, Patanjali founder Baba Ramdev has withdrawn his “objectionable and unfortunate statement” against allopathy in relation to Covid19 treatment.

In his letter, Dr Vardhan on Sunday asked Baba Ramdev to “completely withdraw” his statement against allopathy regarding Covid treatment as it can “break the morale of doctors and weaken our fight against the pandemic”.

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Union health minister Vardhan posted the letter on his Twitter handle tagging Baba Ramdev.

Baba Ramdev responded to Vardhan’s letter and tweeted with a letter of his own where he wrote that he “withdraws” his statement on allopathy.

“By using ayurveda and yoga, we have also saved many lives during the pandemic and this should be respected,” Ramdev wrote in his letter.

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Both the letters have been written in Hindi.

The Union home minister’s letter and Baba Ramdev’s reply came a day after the Indian Medical Association (IMA) demanded action against the Yog guru under the Epidemic Diseases Act for what it termed as a “vitriolic accusation” against modern medicine.

The IMA in February had raised objections to Union health minister Harsh Vardhan for sharing the stage with Baba Ramdev during the launch of Patanjali product Coronil.

On February 19, Patanjali Ayurved said the tablet had received certification from the Ayush Ministry as a medicine supporting treatment of Covid19 patients as per the WHO’s certification scheme.

However, it later clarified that the certification was granted by the Centre and WHO does “not approve or disapprove any drugs”.

Referring to purported comments from a recent video of Ramdev circulated on social media, Harsh Vardhan on Sunday wrote that “calling the allopathy treatment for Corona as tamasha (farce), bekaar (worthless), and diwaliya (lame duck) is unfortunate”.

Vardhan told Ramdev that the “citizens are extremely upset” about his “comments on allopathy and doctors”.

He said “it is extremely unfortunate that you said that lakhs of corona deaths have occurred due to allopathy medicine”.

Following the IMA’s criticism on Saturday, Patanjali Yogpeeth general secretary Acharya Balkrishna in a statement said Ramdev has “no ill-will against modern science and good practitioners of modern medicine” and “what is attributed against him is false”.

In response to Dr Vardhan’s letter on Sunday, Baba Ramdev said he respects the fact that allopathy doctors have put “their lives at risk” to save others.

Balkrishna said: “It is necessary to mention that the event was a private event and Swamiji was reading out a forwarded WhatsApp message received by him and various other members who were participating in the event.”

The Yog guru also reiterated that he was reading out a forwarded WhatsApp message received by him and various other members who were participating in the event.

He said “some allopathy doctors” should not “disrespect” ayurveda and yoga, by calling it pseudoscience.

In the 2-minute video posted earlier on social media, Baba Ramdev is also purportedly heard alleging that allopathic drugs have failed in the treatment of Covid19 patients.

In his letter, Vardhan suggested that Balkrishna’s clarification on Saturday was “inadequate”.

“I hope, by giving a serious thought over this issue, and by respecting the emotions of corona warriors worldwide, you would completely withdraw your objectionable and unfortunate statement,” Vardhan wrote in his letter to Ramdev.

“During the pandemic, allopathy and the doctors associated with it, have given a new life to crores of people…In this fight, the way the doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers, have put their lives at risk to save the lives of others, and the commitment towards their duty and human service is unprecedented and incomparable,” Vardhan’s letter said.

“In these circumstances, calling the allopathy treatment for Corona as tamasha (farce), bekaar (worthless), and diwaliya (lame duck) is unfortunate. Today, lakhs of people are recovering and going home. The country’s fatality rate is only 1.13 percent and recovery rate is 88 per cent; behind this is the important contribution of allopathy and doctors,” the Union minister’s letter said.

Vardhan in his letter further said:  “You should know that diagnosis for smallpox, polio, ebola, SARS, and tuberculosis has been offered by only allopathy. Today, vaccines have become an important weapon against fighting the pandemic; this is also due to allopathy. In your clarification, you have only said that your intention was not against modern medicine and good doctors. I find your clarification inadequate…Your statements are not only disrespectful for the Corona warriors but deeply hurt people’s emotions.”