Indian yoga expert Swami Ramdev faces communist heat.

[Guest guest]

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 Sushree 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 5:00 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 has 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

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 his 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 has 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.

 

Eminent ayurveds interviewed 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 of 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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