FORDA to protest against Baba Ramdev; claims he tried to derail COVID-19 vaccination drive

Trouble continues to mount for yoga guru Baba Ramdev as the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) will hold a nationwide black day protest on June 1 against Baba Ramdev's remarks on allopathy & modern medicine. FORDA's decision to stage a protest comes after multiple doctors' & medical associations have demanded Baba Ramdev's apology for his remarks against allopathy, with the IMA even going on to lodge a police complaint and file a Rs 1000 cr defamation suit against the yoga guru. Calling for a nationwide protest, FORDA noted that doctors were subjected to insensitive, inhuman & insulting statements despite laying down their lives in the fight against COVID. 

FORDA to stage nationwide protest against Baba Ramdev on June 1

In its statement, FORDA claimed that Baba Ramdev had attempted to allegedly derail the COVID vaccination drive in India that the yoga guru's remarks had allegedly added to vaccine hesitancy in the country. FORDA called for a protest on June 1 without hampering patient care against Baba Ramdev's illogical, insensitive, derogatory, and defamatory remarks on COVID warriors & modern medicine. Further, FORDA demanded Baba Ramdev to apologize or unconditionally or sought action against the yoga guru under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1987. 

IMA challenges Baba Ramdev to an 'open debate' on Patanjali medicines

Escalating the feud with Patanjali founder Baba Ramdev, Indian Medical association's (IMA) Uttarakhand unit on Saturday, challenged Ramdev for a debate with panel discussion asking him to list which allopathic hospitals have given Patanjali medicines for treatment. This move comes after IMA filed a complaint against Ramdev for his remarks against allopathy & modern medicine in Delhi. The medical body and the Patanjali founder have been in a tussle since he claimed 'Allopathy is a stupid science'.

Patanjali vows to give befitting legal reply to IMA

Hours after a complaint was lodged by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) against yoga guru Baba Ramdev, Patanjali Yogipeeth has confirmed the receipt of the legal notice and has vowed to give a 'befitting reply.' The IMA unit has demanded yoga guru Baba Ramdev to issue a video countering his claims on allopathy & modern medicine and tender a written apology within the next 15 days or face penalty. Patanjali co-founder Acharya Balakrishna reportedly told PTI that the legal notice had been received and that a reply will be given in a legal manner similar to how the company functioned 'while serving their motherland & humanity.' Further, Patanjali claimed that it carried out all activities with 'scientific and truthful temperament' and that it 'cannot allow anyone to disparage, neglect and demean the great knowledge and science of rishis and scriptures.'

What did Baba Ramdev say about allopathy?

IMA's demand to prosecute Baba Ramdev under the Epidemic Diseases Act was triggered by a video being circulated on social media in which 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'. 

Further, IMA claimed that Baba Ramdev had challenged the wisdom and integrity of the DCGI by making a remark that people had passed away after taking approved anti-COVID drugs such as Remdesivir, Fabiflu and others. The press release claimed that Baba Ramdev's quote (from the speech presumably) on Favipiravir as medicine against fever or antipyretic was 'laughable' and displayed his ín-depth scientific knowledge.' Citing the pain & agony over the loss of over 1200 modern medicine doctors, IMA dared the govt to either consider the accusations of Baba Ramdev and dissolve the modern medicine facility or boldly prosecute yoga guru Baba Ramdev for his statements.