Indian yoga expert Swami Ramdev faces communist heat.

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Dear List, After the attack on Prince Charles for advocating alternative therapies in the UK, after the humiliation of Kennedy Jr for establishing the link between autism and vaccines in the USA, it is now the turn of Swami Ramdev, who has a fan following of crores in India, to face the ire of "secular" and "scientific" forces. Yesterday CPI(M) leader Ms Brinda Karat sought to floor the Swami with a karate chop alleging that he mixes human skull powder and animal bones in the medicines he prescribes as ayurvedic medicines. She claimed she had sent samples to the Health Ministry who have responded by writing to her that the medicine sample did contain animal remains, which is valid ayurvedic practice but required a special licence. By not mentioning the contents on the label the pharmacy in question, Divya Yog Pharmacy had indeed erred. Ms Karat also alleged that the

Swami had been of late hobnobbing with "powerful elements" and appealed that the "unholy nexus" be broken. She was perhaps refering to the Swami's growing clout with ex-Prime Minister Sri Atal Behari Vajpayee, Rajasthan Chief Minister Smt Vasundhara Raje Scindia, firebrand leader Susree Uma Bharati, Uttaranchal CM Sri N D Tewari, Indian Cine Superstar Sri Amitabh Bachhan, besides media barons, beaurocrats, mainstream doctors and senior journalists. Perhaps she also meant the Indian public as crores of suffering people all over the country wake up to the 3:00 AM TV programme of the Swami. Swami Ramdev, contrary to her expectations, didn't exactly go into hiding. He promptly called a press conference and with two eminent MD's flanking him proceeded to clear the air with his breath..sorry.. damage control exercises. Replying to media questions he said that Ms Karat should have come to him to collect the sample from his

manufacturing facility. He also revealed that Ms Karat had first mentioned his pharmacy as Divya Pharmacy, Haryana which made the Health Ministry reject her claim as no such pharmacy existed there. It was later resubmitted as Divya Yog Pharmacy, Hardwar. He doubted the genuineness of the sample sent for examination. The Swami challenged any organisation to come and inspect his pharmacy at any time to verify the allegations made. Regarding labelling he said he followed the practice as followed by the major ayurvedic drug pharmacies in India. He also procured a certificate from the Health Department of Uttaranchal which had investigated a previous similiar allegation and found it false. The two MD's present, one from the Uttaranchal government and the other, the personal physician of Sri Amitabh Bachhan, agreed to what the Swami had to say. The Swami did not stop at that. He readily offered interviews to almost all

national TV news channels and made further interesting revelations. He said that his tirade against junk food and soft drinks have resulted in sharp falls in their sales hurting the profit figures of MNC's. Leading toothpaste brands and cosmetic manufacturers have been forced to change their product patterns. He alleged he had proof that two major cola MNC's and a certain drug major had held a closed door meeting with Ms Karat. He said just as the recent MP's, exposed by a sting operation for accepting bribes to raise questions in Parliament, had been probed, a similiar probe should be intiated to know the real reason behind Ms Karat's allegations. Regarding animal matter the Swami said the only animal matter he used were cow produces that have been used in ayurveda for centuries. He said conch shells too were used in some remedies. He said the names of the medicines indicated the animal contents and there was no effort to hide

anything. He expressed surprise that someone should accuse him of using human skulls and animal bones. He invited Ms Karat to attend her yoga and breathing sessions so that she would see reason and turn out to be a better politician. He said he would soon send an official invitation to her. The Swami has literally invited trouble by continually exposing the shenanigans of MNC's and drug majors. He should have kept his own interests in view and worked silently. He had himself voiced apprehension many a times citing threats from powerful lobbies. He expressed dissatisfaction that despite offering relief to millions of people and curing cases declared incurable by mainstream doctors he continues to be cold shouldered. Interviews of people helped by his breathing techniques and remedies revealed that patients who had given up on life were now feeling young again. There were long lines at clinics manned by doctors trained by him. Famous ayurveds interviwed by the TV channels also strongly came out in support of the Swami. They said it was obvious that the popularity of various alternative therapies and ayurveda had unnerved certain factions. However these sciences would continue to grow they averred. They said the Swami's clinic had ISO certification and followed good manufacturing practices. Ms Karat said she was shocked how vegetarian followers of the Swami were being fooled. She said the Swami was playing with their emotions. It was very strange that a "secular" politician of Ms Karat's stature would suddenly champion the cause of Hindu vegetarians. Maybe she was peeved with the way the Swami had treated 50 odd ex employees of his pharmacy. The Swami had also not given any employment letters to his workers and kept them as "volunteers" to avoid labour trouble. These employees had approached Ms Karat who was fighting for their cause. We should call for an unbiased investigation into the whole episode where both claims and counter claims should be investigated. The labelling of ayurvedic products should be examined and ensured. The contents of ayurvedic medicines should also be examined and certified. The pharmacies should be brought under the ambit of good manufacturing practices. These steps should be taken immediately so that ayurveda does not get a bad name and also to ensure that such accusations do not come up in the future. It is sad that whereas ayurveda has spread to all parts of the globe it continues to be attacked and ignored and thus languishes in the country of its origin. It must be mentioned that such allegations have also been made against homeopathic remedies stating that they contained steroids. Later it transpired that the milk of magnesium used as a carrier of homeopathic remedies gave results similiar to steroids under a

particular flame test. The persons who made the allegations were well aware f the fact. This is a face of "science" many have woken up to today. There is an urgent need to educate people about alternative therapies just as children are taught about the mainstream medical theories right from their primary school days. Regards, Jagannath. “New opinions often appear first as jokes and fancies, then as blasphemies and treason, then as questions open to discussion, and finally as established truths.” – George Bernard Shaw.

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