Baba Ramdev Attacks Allopathy again, See no Use of Vaccine if Protected by Yoga and Ayurved

Manas Dasgupta

NEW DELHI, May 30: While the BJP has kept blaming the opposition parties for “creating misconceptions” among the people against Corona vaccine, Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev, considered to be close to the ruling party, has again attempted to demolish the allopathic system of medicine and rejected getting vaccinated.

“For decades, I have been practicing yoga-Ayurveda doses so I didn’t feel the need to get vaccinated,” the Yoga guru, who lately was fighting a running battle against the Indian Medical Association on the efficacy of allopathic system of medicine, said on Sunday

He again questioned the efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines while claiming that the fatalities caused by Covid-19 showed that allopathy was not 100% effective. He also alleged the presence of a campaign against ancient Indian science of Ayurveda. The Yoga guru who has been in a running feud with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) also claimed that he didn’t opt for vaccination since he has been enjoying the dual protection of yoga and Ayurveda for several years now.

“Over 100 crore people of India as well as in foreign countries are in reach of these ancient therapies. In the coming time, Ayurveda will be globally accepted. A section of society is deliberately ignoring or deeming it inferior in comparison to allopathy,” Ramdev said.

Ramdev had earlier raised 25 questions on the efficacy of modern medicine and the IMA Uttarakhand chapter threatened him with a ₹1000 crore defamation case and Delhi Medical Association filed a police complaint against the yoga guru. It all started a couple of weeks ago with a video, where Ramdev was seen calling allopathy a ‘stupid science’ and alleging that thousands of doctors had died despite taking the vaccine to prevent Covid-19 infection. He later retracted those comments following the IMA and Union health minister’s objections.

However, the Yoga guru has refused to tender an apology as demanded by the IMA and has continued to question modern medicine. On Sunday he said Ayurvdic surgeons should also get permission to perform surgeries as it was a “skill” and “not a science.”

“Yoga, Ayurveda ingredients, Coronil and age-old Indian usage of herbs and dietary habits have been saving many lives. Allopathy treatment on the other side has been relying on antibiotics and steroids, harmful effects of which are now visible. Yoga and Ayurveda can cure all ailments and Patanjali Yogpeeth is ready to give proof in this regard. Ayurveda needs to be given due respect and recognition by modern science,” Swami Ramdev said.

He however, qualified his stance by claiming he respected allopathy for its contributions, particularly in case of emergency medical treatments but it was not reciprocated by the allopathic branch of medicine.

IMA Uttarakhand general secretary Dr Ajay Khanna said the association was willing to reply to Ramdev’s questions and claims but it should be done face to face in an open panel discussion in presence of media. He added that Ramdev’s statements were only promoting vaccine hesitancy.

“The way Ramdev is slamming vaccination is quite dangerous as it will add to vaccination hesitancy in the country. World over vaccination drives are being held and here we are debating and slamming it. Ramdev has to realise the consequences his statements will have on the battle against Covid and vaccination drive. We have to end vaccination hesitancy, not add to it,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Serum Institute of India (SII), the Pune-based manufacturer of “Covishield” vaccine, has informed the centre that it would be able to ramp up the production of its vaccine to 65 million in June, 70 million in July and 100 million each in August and September.

“We are pleased to inform that in the month of June we will be able to manufacture and supply nine to 10 crore doses of our Covishield vaccine to the country as compared to our production capacity of 6.5 crore doses in May,” Prakash Kumar Singh, the director of government and regulatory affairs at SII, said in the letter to Union home minister Amit Shah.

Singh’s letter came even as several states complained of vaccine shortage to fight against the pandemic. Several states, including Punjab, Kerala, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttarakhand and Karnataka, among others, have floated global tenders for Covid-19 vaccines.

The SII said its employees have been working round the clock in spite of various challenges because of the coronavirus pandemic. “Serum Institute of India has always been sincerely concerned about the protection of the citizens of our country and world at large from Covid-19. Under the leadership of our CEO Adar Poonawalla and have been working relentlessly shoulder to shoulder with our government to fight the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said in the letter.

“We assure you that with the support of the Government of India and under your kind guidance, we are trying our best by utilising all of our resources to increase our production capacity of Covishield in the coming month also,” he said.

According to the Union ministry of health and family welfare on Sunday, 212 million vaccine doses have been administered across the county since the Centre’s vaccination drive on began on January 16 and more than 18.3 million people in age group of 18-44 years have been given the jab in ongoing third phase so far.