Harsh Vardhan asks Ramdev to withdraw 'objectionable' remarks on doctors

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday, 23 May, wrote to yoga guru Ramdev to withdraw his comments claiming “lakhs had died after taking allopathy medicines”.

The health minister in a tweet said, "The doctors fighting the Covid-19 pandemic day and night, are akin to deities for the people of the nation. Baba @yogrishiramdev has hurt the sentiments of the nation, as it disrespected the corona warriors."

"I have written a letter to him asking him to withdraw his objectionable statement," the health minister further added.

Harsh Vardhan added in the letter that he had already expressed his displeasure to Ramdev over his remarks in a phone call.

Harsh Vardhan also shared images of the letter written to Ramdev who in a viral video, running on social media platforms since Saturday, was seen saying that allopathic medicines have failed to cure Covid-19 and more people have died due to administration of allopathic medicines than shortage of medical oxygen or lack of hospital beds.

What did Baba Ramdev say about allopathy'

In a video that went viral on social media on Saturday, Baba Ramdev is allegedly heard saying 'allopathy ek aisi stupid aur dilwaliya science hai' ('Allopathy is a stupid & … science'). In a press release, IMA claimed that Baba Ramdev had called doctors 'murderers' in front of the Health Minister in the pretext of the 'release of his wonder drugs' and accused the yoga guru of misleading the public by making baseless accusations to sell his 'unapproved & illegal drugs'. Hours after the Indian Medical Association (IMA) sought action against yoga guru Baba Ramdev for his remark on allopathy, Patanjali Yogipeeth and its MD Acharya Balkrishna issued a statement claiming that the 'truncated' video being referenced was totally out of context.