Medical association Vs Baba Ramdev: 5 things to know about the controversy

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has angered medical professionals with his remarks about allopathy and its treatment for coronavirus.

The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (Forda) is marking June 1 as a 'Black Day' to protest Yoga guru Baba Ramdev's remarks against  allopathic medicines and its practitioners. Ramdev upset the medical association with his remarks in May about allopathy medicine and its treatment for coronavirus cases.
 

Here are things to know about the controversy

• In a video widely circulated on social media some 10 days ago, Baba Ramdev was seen saying that ‘allopathy is stupid and failed science’ and ‘lakhs of patients have died after taking allopathic medicines,’ reported Deccan Herald.

• The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on May 22 sent Ramdev a legal notice asking him to recall his words and to publish a written apology. The IMA said, “Union Health Minister to either accept accusation and dissolve modern medical facility or prosecute him and book him under Epidemic Diseases Act.” The IMA in its statement said that the remarks were ‘a threat to the literate society of the country as well as to the poor people falling prey to him,’ reported NDTV.

• Following IMA’s request, the Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday, May 23,  called Ramdev’s statement on allopathic medicines “extremely unfortunate” and asked him to withdraw it. In his letter to the Yoga guru, Vardhan said, “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,” reported Hindustan Times. In his letter Health Minister said that allopathic medicines have saved the lives of crores and claims that it is responsible for the deaths of lakhs is ‘extremely unfortunate’.

• Ramdev issued a clarification after Vardhan's letter. He said, “Hon’ble Minister, I have received your letter. I withdraw my statement, putting to rest the controversy over various medical practices.” He said that he has utmost respect for the medical staff and that the discipline had saved the lives of crores of people, reported The Times of India.

• The IMA has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding that Ramdev be booked for sedition for his remarks and alleged misinformation campaign on vaccination.The medical body has also served a defamation notice on Baba Ramdev for his remarks against allopathy and allopathic practitioners, demanding an apology from him within 15 days, failing which it said it will demand a compensation of Rs 1,000 crore from the yoga guru, reported Economic Times.