Country's sentiments hurt: Harsh Vardhan asks Baba Ramdev to withdraw remarks against allopathy

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday wrote a letter to yoga guru Baba Ramdev asking him to retract his objectionable statements against allopathy after the Indian Medical Association demanded action on Saturday.

The health minister stated that India's incredible healthcare workers are fighting against Covid-19 day in and day out for their countrymen. He said that Baba Ramdev's statements have hurt the country's sentiments by disrespecting India's 'Corona warriors'.

#COVID19 -

@yogrishiramdev ,

pic.twitter.com/QBXCdaRQb1 — Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) May 23, 2021

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) in an official statement thanked the health minister for "understanding the anguish and pain created in the medical fraternity" due to Baba Ramdev's statements.

IMA President Dr Jayalal said, "Thank you for saluting the contribution of modern medicine to the healthcare and welfare of our country. This is not the time to find fault in each other's systems of medicine. This is the time to strive together with unity and coordination for the welfare of our country. IMA is always willing to coordinate with the government in all its measures to fight Covid-19."

"The ministry has taken the right action," Dr Jayalal continued.

RAMDEV RETRACTS STATEMENTS

On Sunday night, Baba Ramdev responded to the health minister's letter and retracted his statements as directed.

The yoga guru took to Twitter to say he regretted the entire controversy and attached a letter addressed to Harsh Vardhan.

@drharshvardhan ,
- pic.twitter.com/jEAr59VtEe — (@yogrishiramdev) May 23, 2021

WHAT WERE RAMDEV'S 'OBJECTIONABLE STATEMENTS'?

According to the IMA, a video circulating on social media showed Baba Ramdev calling modern medicine a “stupid science”. He allegedly went on to say that medicines including remdesivir and fabiflu, approved by the Drugs Controller General of India, failed to treat Covid patients in India.

Baba Ramdev said that "lakhs of [Covid] patients died after taking allopathic medicines.”

In response, the Haridwar-based Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust, of which Baba Ramdev is the founder, said his remarks has been taken out of context.

WHAT WERE IMA'S DEMANDS?

In their statement on Saturday, the IMA said that the yoga guru should be prosecuted under the Epidemic Diseases Act because his “untutored” statements are “a threat to the literate society of the country as well as to the poor people falling prey to him.”

"If the minister [Harsh Vardhan] does not take suo moto action, we will be forced to resort to democratic means of struggle to propagate the truth to the common man. We will knock at the doors of the judiciary to get due justice,” the IMA’s statement had said.

The doctors’ body also sent a legal notice to Baba Ramdev on Saturday asking for a ‘written apology’ and ‘recall of statements’.

ALSO READ: Over 300 doctors died due to Covid during 2nd wave, at least 80 in Bihar: IMA