After public outrage, Ramdev ‘withdraws’ remark against allopathy

After facing heavy censure for his remarks against western medicine in the treatment of COVID-19, yoga guru Baba Ramdev, on Sunday said he is ‘withdrawing’ his statement in a letter to Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan.

“Received your letter Dr Harsh Vardhan. In that context and to end the whole controversy over the conflict of different treatments with regrets, I am withdrawing my statement,” he tweeted, after the health minister asked him to take back his remarks.

Ramdev recently had commented that more people have died due to allopathic treatments during the COVID-19 pandemic than the virus itself – a statement which was panned by the medical fraternity across the country.

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Apart from widespread public outrage, Ramdev invited a legal notice from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) which demanded a written apology from him for tarnishing the reputation of practitioners of allopathic and modern medicine and their contribution towards society during the pandemic.

Vardhan in a two-page letter told Ramdev that his comment has hurt people who consider doctors and health workers as living gods.

“The people of the country are very hurt with your remark on allopathic medicines. I have already told about this feeling over phone. Doctors and health workers are like gods for the people of the country for whom they are fighting against the coronavirus, risking their lives,” the letter 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,” he added.

Despite withdrawing his remark, Ramdev, however, a few minutes later retweeted a post which called modern medical science a limited field against the holistic nature of yoga and Ayurveda.

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“Yoga and Ayurveda give us complete health. Modern medical science has limitations. It only gives symptomatic treatment whereas Yoga and Ayurveda gives systemic treatment,” the tweet said.