The Indian Medical Association (IMC) has urged Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan to take action against Yog Guru Baba Ramdev under the Epidemic Act for his vitriolic accusation against modern medicine at a time when people are facing an unprecedented crisis due to SARS-COV-2.
The IMA warned that if the minister is not taking suo moto action, then it will be forced to resort to democratic means of struggle to propagate the truth to the common man and knock on the doors of the judiciary for justice.
The IMA has served a legal notice to Ramdev seeking unconditional written apology in national newspapers and roll-back of statements made against allopathy and modern medicine and also for “damage to reputation caused to the practitioners/doctors practising allopathy and modern medicine.” It has warned to initiate legal action against him if he fails to tender an unconditional written apology immediately.
The IMA was critical about Ramdev’s recent video in circulation on social media addressing, “Allopathy ek aisi stupid and diwaliya science hai.” It also took objection to his statement that “Lakho logo ki maut allopathy ki dawai khane se hui hai” challenging the wisdom and integrity of the Drug Controller General of India and the health minister.
“Therefore, under Section 3 of the Epidemic Disease Act read with Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code, Swami Ramdev deserves to be prosecuted for disobeying and causing danger to the life of many by making them believe and make them not to take the advice of allopathy drugs. His quote about Favipiravir as medicine against fever/antipyretic is laughable, childish and demonstrates his in-depth scientific knowledge,” said the IMA.
According to the IMA, the Yoga guru is a corporate giant of a pharmaceutical unit and has made several false acquisitions about his company's productions time and again to mislead the public. “The controversies on Coronil and Swasari are the well known facts to all, and the criminal complaint in the court is a proof to his misadventures,’’ it said.
“All this is done by Swami Ramdev to take advantage of the situation and create a false sense of fear and frustration within the public at large so that he can sell his illegal and unapproved so called medicines and make money at the cost of the public at large.
‘’When such idolised persons are making vitriolic comments, questioning the authority and integrity of the whole architecture of health ministry, the Hon Health Minister, who is a practising modern medicine allopathic postgraduate and head of this ministry, should either accept the challenge and accusation of this gentleman and dissolve the modern medical facility of boldly face and prosecute the persons 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,” said IMA national president Dr JA Jayalal and honorary secretary general Dr Jayesh Lele in strongly worded statement.
