Ramdev ‘Withdraws’ Allopathy Remark After Health Minister’s Letter
Ramdev, in his comments, claimed that “lakhs had died after taking allopathy medicines”.
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Hours after Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday, 23 May, wrote to yoga guru Ramdev, asking him to withdraw his comments claiming “lakhs had died after taking allopathy medicines,” the latter has said he is doing so and added that he wants to put the matter to rest.
“I have written a letter to yoga guru Ramdev, asking him to withdraw the objectionable statement. The statement disrespected COVID warriors and hurt the sentiments of the country,” Vardhan had said.
"You have not only insulted Corona warriors, but have hurt the feelings of the people of the country. Your clarification yesterday is not enough to make up for it... I hope you will think hard on it and withdraw your statements completely," Harsh Vardhan said, in a two-page letter in Hindi.
Vardhan also added that the people of the country were ‘very hurt’ by Ramdev’s remarks.
Responding to the letter from the health minister, Ramdev said he wants to put the matter to rest.
"Hon'ble Minister, I have received your letter. I withdraw my statement, putting to rest the controversy over various medical practices...," Ramdev tweeted, attaching his statement.
"We do not oppose modern medical science and allopathy. We believe that allopathy has shown immense progress in surgery and the life-saving system and served humanity. My statement has been quoted as part of a WhatsApp message that I was reading during a meeting of volunteers. I am sorry if it has hurt anyone's sentiment," Ramdev stated.
Soon after, reacting to this, Dr Harsh Vardhan said that the way Ramdev withdrew his statements is laudable and shows his maturity.
Ramdev’s Objectionable Remarks & ‘Clarification’
Reading from his mobile in a video that has now gone viral, Ramdev could be heard saying, “Allopathy is such a stupid science that first chloroquine failed; then Remdesivir failed; then anti-biotics failed; then steroids failed; then plasma therapy was banned.”
The minister’s letter came a dayafter the Indian Medical Association urged the Union Health Ministry to take action against Ramdev.
Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust, earlier in the day, had said that Ramdev had the ‘utmost regard for doctors and carried no ill will against modern science and medicine’.
(With inputs from NDTV)
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