New Delhi: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) declared on Friday (May 28, 2021) that if yoga guru Ramdev withdraws his views against COVID-19 vaccinations and modern medicine, it will consider withdrawing police complaints and a defamation notice against him.
Ramdev was essentially questioning the government, according to IMA national chief Dr. JA Jayalal, by criticising the modern system of medicine in relation to the epidemic and treatment for it.
"We have no animosity toward yoga master Baba Ramdev. His comments are anti-vaccination against COVID-19. We believe his words will confuse and deflect people's attention. This is a major source of concern for us because he has a large following "According to the PTI news agency, Dr. Jayalal said.
"If the yoga teacher came forward and apologised for his comments in their entirety, the IMA would consider withdrawing complaints filed against him in police stations as well as a defamation notice handed to him," Dr Jayalal added.
The IMA had previously issued a defamation notice to Ramdev for allegedly making disparaging remarks against modern medicine and its practitioners. The notice also requested an apology from him within 15 days, failing which it threatened to initiate legal action against him for compensation of Rs 1,000 crore.
Baba Ramdev has been the subject of several complaints in Delhi and elsewhere, and the association has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take action against him.
Earlier on Sunday, Ramdev was forced to withdraw a statement questioning some of the drugs used to treat coronavirus and alleged "lakhs have died from taking allopathic medicines for COVID-19.
Baba Ramdev has been the subject of several complaints in Delhi and elsewhere, and the association has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take action against him.
Following the row, Ramdev had also said that 'no one has the courage to arrest him'.
The yoga teacher also asked the IMA 25 questions, including if modern medicine could provide long-term cure for conditions like hypertension.
Allopathic practitioners were 'targeting' Ramdev and Ayurveda under the IMA as part of a conspiracy, according to co-founder of Patanjali Yogpeeth Haridwar Acharya Balkrishna.
"As part of the conspiracy to convert the entire country into Christianity, Yoga and Ayurveda are being maligned by targeting Ramdev jee. Countrymen, wake up now from the deep slumber otherwise the generations to come will not forgive you," Balkrishna said.
In the meantime, the IMA Uttarakhand has challenged Yog Guru Ramdev to a discussion, asking him to reveal which allopathic hospitals have treated patients with Patanjali medications.