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‘Enough is enough’: IMA demands action against Baba Ramdev under Epidemic Diseases Act

The doctors’ body threatens to move court if the government fails to take action

[File] Baba Ramdev releases the scientific research papers on the Patanjali medicine for COVID-19 | PTI

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has demanded that the Union health ministry take strict action against yoga guru Baba Ramdev for allegedly misleading people by making “unlearned statements” against modern medicine amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The doctors’ body also threatened to move court if the government failed to take action against Ramdev.

"The Union health minister either accept accusation and dissolve modern medical facility or prosecute him and book him under Epidemic Diseases Act,” the IMA said in a strongly-worded statement. It further alleged that Ramdev’s statements are "a threat to the literate society of the country as well as to the poor people falling prey to him".

The IMA cited a recent video circulating on social media, and said Ramdev was seen saying that "allopathy ek aisi stupid aur diwalilya science hai… (allopathy is such a stupid science)".

“In this address, he (Ramdev) had further claimed that Remdesivir, Faviflu, and all other approved drugs by DCGI have failed and stated that ‘lakho logo ki maut allopathy ki dawai khanse se hui hai’ (lakhs of people have died after taking allopathic medicines), challenging the wisdom and integrity of DCGI and the head of all these, our honourable health minister,” the statement said.

“Therefore, under Section 3 of the Epidemic Disease Act with section 188 of the Indian Penal Code, Ramdev deserves to be prosecuted for disobeying and causing danger to the life of many by making them believe and make them not to take the advice of allopathy drugs,” the IMA said, adding that the yoga guru’s quote about Favipiravir as medicine against fever/antipyretic is laughable, childish and demonstrates his in-depth scientific knowledge.

“Enough is enough,” said the doctors’ body, noting that more than 1,200 modern medicine allopathic doctors have sacrificed their life so far, as they are in the front line of the COVID war.

It alleged that Ramdev is trying to take advantage of the situation and create a sense of fear and frustration among the people at large.

“The healthcare of the country should be handled by a professional in a professional way. Treating unscientific literacy with deaf ears and blind eyes is hardly professionalism,” the IMA conluded, taking a dig at Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan.