Why are Indian doctors angry at the notes of yoga guru Ramdev Coronavirus pandemic News

New Delhi, India – Doctors battling a second strong wave of coronavirus in India are furious at the “insulting and sensitive” scam committed by a yoga guru and employer, giving their unions a defamation notice and apologizing “within 15 days”.

“Allopathy is a stupid science and failure. First chlorokin failed, then Remdesivir failed, then their antibiotics failed, then steroids, now plasma therapy has been banned. Now they are prescribing Fabiflu and that too has failed, ”Ram Kisan Yadave, also known as Baba Ramdev, told his followers last week.

“More people died as a result of allopathic treatment than people who died of oxygen deficiency or COVID-19,” said the 55-year-old saffron-clad guru, who caused a tremendous reaction from Indian medical doctors, who called for measures against him.

Yoga guru claims that Allopathy is a stupid science. This pandemic brings a new shock every day. pic.twitter.com/1W9ojVOIGY

– Sub-Ray Ray (@DrSubhasree) May 21, 2021

When the video containing Ramdev’s statements went viral on social media platforms, the Medical Association of India (IMA) became the guru of the organization representing doctors in the country.

“He (Ramdev) has downplayed the sacrifice of more than 1,200 doctors who have fulfilled their duty to serve humanity in the pandemic,” a document released by the IMA said on Saturday.

On Wednesday, the IMA sent a defamation notice to the guru for making “inadvertent warnings” against allopathy and allopathic doctors and apologized within 15 days or $ 137 million in compensation, the Indian Press Trust reported.

The IMA is issuing a defamation notice to Ramdevi for alleged allegations of allopathy and allopathic doctors, apologizing within 15 days or providing compensation of Rs 1 crore.

– Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 26, 2021

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) government medical association in New Delhi also rejected Ramdev’s remarks, calling for “the most drastic steps” to be taken against him.

Back hand

Ramdev’s company, Patanjali Yogpeeth, released a statement on Saturday, saying it “has no bad will against good practitioners of modern science and modern science.”

“What is alleged against him is false and harmful,” he said.

The next day, Federal Health Minister Harsh Vardhan wrote a two-page letter to Ramdev urging him to withdraw his “utterly reprehensible statement”.

“You should know that the cure for all serious diseases such as chickenpox, polio, Ebola, SARS and tuberculosis developed in allopathy. The development of vaccines in the fight against pandemic is also the result of allopathy,” the minister wrote.

“It’s very unfortunate for you to say that people died from consuming allopathic medicines.”

Ramdev wrote to Vardhan the same day, expressing his displeasure and removing his remarks.

“I was reading a WhatsApp message with my followers. I’m sorry if my remarks hurt anyone’s feelings, ”he wrote.

But the back hands didn’t last 24 hours. On Monday, Ramdev again spoke out against allopathy, asking if he had a cure for several of the diseases listed in the open letter.

“If allopathy is so effective, why do allopathic doctors get sick and does allopathy have a cure to make a violent man decent?” he asked.

Dr. Jaswant of the AIIMS Resident Medical Association told Al Jazeera that “the language of the letter (in Ramdev) is not an apology.”

“The government must take drastic measures against it because of irresponsible and embarrassing comments made by allopathic doctors,” he said.

IMA Dr Mukesh Verma wrote to the Delhi Police and met with senior police to file a criminal complaint against Ramdev. But no first information report (FIR) has yet been registered.

“Baba (Ramdev) is very strong, the equivalent of a union minister and more than the chief ministers of many states. His closeness to power is well known and that’s why I think the police don’t want him to book, ”Verma told Al Jazeera, calling Vardhan’s letter to the guru“ eye-cleaning ”.

The Uttarakhand state chapter of the Uttarakhand said the “seriousness and anger of the doctors” Ramdev said could “jeopardize our fight against this devastating pandemic.”

Ramdev’s Patanjali has not responded to repeated requests to seek comments on Al Jazeera’s allegations over the phone. A detailed questionnaire was emailed to them.

‘Ramdev loves talk’

Ramdev, who views some of India’s most powerful politicians as his friend in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is not a new controversy.

Earlier this month, while people across India were struggling to find oxygen cylinders, another video appeared mocking COVID-19 patients for trying to find oxygen.

“God has given us free oxygen, why don’t we breathe that? How can there be a shortage when God fills the atmosphere with oxygen? he said in the video. “Fools are looking for oxygen cylinders. You just breathe oxygen for free. Why are you complaining about oxygen shortages and beds and incinerators?”

A hoarding with the image of Ramdev seen inside a Patanjali tent in Ahdevabad [File: Amit Dave/Reuters]

In June last year, as the pandemic spread across the country, Ramdev said it had developed the first Ayurvedic medicine to cure COVID-19 in seven days.

India’s Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) has banned Patanjali from selling Coronil as a “cure” until drug agencies clear the drug.

In February this year, Ramdev claimed before two federal ministers – Vardhan and Nitin Gadkari – that Coronil had received a World Health Organization (WHO) certificate.

A month later, IMA said the Central Drug Control Agency (CDSCO) had not given permission for Coronil COVID-19 to be used for treatment. The WHO also clarified that it did not review or ensure the effectiveness of Patanjali’s drug.

But the controversy did not prevent Patanjali from selling Coronil kits across the country as a “strengthening immunity” against the virus.

On Monday, the Haryana state BJP government announced that it would distribute 100,000 Coronil kits for free to COVID-19 patients.

“We respect and accept Ayurveda, homeopathy, naturopathy, allopathy and other alternative medicines,” BJP spokesman Gopal Krishna Agarwal told Al Jazeera.

Doctors believe Ramdev is “trying to create a false sense of fear and frustration within the people, calling for illegal and unacceptable drugs and making money at the expense of the people.”

“Ramdev loves discussion. He’s trying to use that attention to encourage propaganda for his business, ”Dr. Jaswant said.

Dr. Verma says the employer has sparked the current debate for two reasons.

“First, to pursue his business interests by reducing allopathy. Second, there is likely to be a deeper conspiracy to divert public attention from the government to doctors, ”Dr. Verma said.

Dr. Verma said the federal government, in the face of the heat to treat the pandemic, “can use it as a hat for doctors.”