After Harsh Vardhan nudge, Ramdev says ‘withdrawing statement on allopathy’

Day after the Indian Medical Association (IMA) demanded Union health ministry’s action against yoga guru Ramdev for his remarks on allopathic medicines, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan asked him to withdraw the statement.

Later in the evening, Ramdev complied, saying he was taking back his statement and that he respects all forms of medical science.

माननीय श्री @drharshvardhan जी आपका पत्र प्राप्त हुआ,
उसके संदर्भ में चिकित्सा पद्दतियों के संघर्ष के इस पूरे विवाद को खेदपूर्वक विराम देते हुए मैं अपना वक्तव्य वापिस लेता हूँ और यह पत्र आपको संप्रेषित कर रहा हूं- pic.twitter.com/jEAr59VtEe

— स्वामी रामदेव (@yogrishiramdev) May 23, 2021

Terming Ramdev’s statement on allopathic medicines “extremely unfortunate”, Vardhan had said on Sunday: “The statement disrespects the corona warriors and hurt the sentiments of the country. Your statement on allopathy can break the morale of healthcare workers and weaken our fight against COVID-19.” In a letter to the yoga guru, Vardhan asked him to withdraw his statement on allopathy.

संपूर्ण देशवासियों के लिए #COVID19 के खिलाफ़ दिन-रात युद्धरत डॉक्टर व अन्य स्वास्थ्यकर्मी देवतुल्य हैं।

बाबा @yogrishiramdev जी के वक्तव्य ने कोरोना योद्धाओं का निरादर कर,देशभर की भावनाओं को गहरी ठेस पहुंचाई।

मैंने उन्हें पत्र लिखकर अपना आपत्तिजनक वक्तव्य वापस लेने को कहा है। pic.twitter.com/QBXCdaRQb1

— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) May 23, 2021

Citing a video circulating on social media, the IMA had on Saturday claimed that Ramdev had misled people by making “unlearned” statements against allopathy and defamed scientific medicine.

They claimed that, in the video, Ramdev is seen saying that “allopathy ek aisi stupid aur diwalilya science hai” (allopathy is a stupid, bankrupt science)” and medicines such as remdesivir, faviflu, and various other drugs approved by the Drugs Controller General of India have failed to cure COVID-19 patients. The doctors’ body also quoted Ramdev saying: “Lakhs of patients have died after taking allopathic medicines”.

However, these remarks were later dismissed as “false” by the Haridwar-based Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust.

The IMA had on Saturday said, “The 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.”

With inputs from PTI