Doctors in India have attacked yoga guru Baba Ramdev over his disputable statements against modern medicine.
He currently said that tens of thousands died of coronavirus after taking modern medicines and encouraged patients for trying to get oxygen cylinders.
The Baba withdrew his statement after the health minister criticised him.
But he again took a swing at modern medicine on Sunday for not having a cure for some diseases.
Modern medicine, also known as allopathy, is the spine of India’s healthcare systems, but different therapies like homoeopathy and Ayurveda are also hugely popular. Many babas like Ramdev have launched successful businesses by virtue of selling herbal products and medicines.
India’s Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) encourage traditional systems of medicines.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA), an organisation that acts for allopathy doctors in India, has criticised the guru for his “inconsiderate” remarks in the middle of the pandemic.
BBC spoke to some doctors in India who said, “Such statements from a baba with millions of followers were “demoralising and irresponsible”.
What did Baba say?
An advertisement of Baba Ramdev mocking patients for trying to find oxygen went viral last week.
“God has given us natural oxygen; why don’t we breathe that? How can there be a shortage of oxygen when God has filled the air with it? Fools are looking for oxygen cylinders. Why are we complaining about beds and oxygen and crematoriums?” he said.
The statement drew hard criticism from families of Covid patients and doctors who demanded an apology.
Two days later, another video came out in which he can be heard blaming Covid deaths on the doctors.
As pressure grew, Harsh Vardhan, India’s Health Minister, who is also a doctor, issued a statement requesting the guru to withdraw his comments.
