The debate around allopathy and Ayurveda is not new to India with the former discrediting the latter. After 'withdrawing' his controversial comment against allopathy, by writing a letter to the Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, Baba Ramdev 'with humility' on Monday, posed before the All India Medical Association some questions that entail a swift reversal.. Taking to his official Twitter handle, the Patanjali co-founder and Yoga guru posed as many as 25 questions related to some of the most common diseases and asked for their solution and treatment in the allopathy and pharma industry.

25 questions by Baba Ramdev

In an open letter addressed to the Indian Medical Association and pharma companies, he asked for permanent solutions offered by allopathy to treat most common ailments such as diabetes, hypertension and arthritis. Baba Ramdev posed before the IMA the following questions:-

1. What permanent solution does allopathy offer for treating Hypertension and its complications?
2. What permanent solution does Allopathy offer for treating Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, and its complications?
3. What permanent solution does allopathy offer for treating Thyroid, Arthritis, Colitis, and Asthma?
4. Just like allopathy offers treatment for TB and Chicken Pox, does it has any medicine for treating Fatty Liver, Liver Cirrhosis, Hepatitis? Find a solution to such diseases as allopathy is a field, which is over 200 years old.
5. What treatment does the pharma industry offer to research heart blockages? Does it also offer a non-surgical solution to Angioplasty?
6. Does the pharma Industry offer treatment for Enlarged Heart and Ejection Fraction (ET) without using a pacemaker?
7. Does Allopathy offer treatment for reducing cholesterol triglycerides, which does not cause any side-effect on the liver?
8. Does the pharma Industry have a permanent solution to cure Headache and Migraine?
9. Does the pharma Industry have any permanent treatment so that glasses and hearing aid can be removed?
10. Give a curable treatment for Pyria in Allopathy, which can stop the weakening of gums and teeth.
11. Is there is medicine, which can help a person reduce 0.5-1 kg every day without any surgical treatment?
12. Give a permanent solution for Psoriasis, Arthritis, and White Spot Syndrome in Allopathy.
13. Does modern medical science offer any treatment for curing spondylitis and turning RA (Rheumatoid factor) from positive to negative?
14. Is there any permanent treatment for Parkinson's disease in Allopathy?
15. Does the pharma industry have any side-effect-free cure for constipation, gastric, and acidity problem?
16. Does Allopathy have a permanent cure for Insomnia?
17. Is there any treatment to reduce stress hormones and increase happy/good hormones in Allopathy?
18. Besides IVF, which is a very painful process, does Allopathy offers any natural treatment for infertility?
19. Name any medicine in the pharma industry, which can help in researching the aging process of humans.
20. Suggest an Allopathic treatment to increase hemoglobin without any side effects.
21. Mankind is walking towards the path of hatred and violence. Is there any Allopathic treatment for the same?
22. Is there any Allopathic medicine, which can help a person to give up all drug-related addictions?
23. Does the pharma industry has a medicine, which can put an end to a fight between Allopathy and Ayurveda?
24. Does the pharma industry have a solution to treat COVID-19 patients, without using liquid medical oxygen?
25. If Allopathy is capable of treating every disease and health condition, then its doctor should never fall ill.

Baba Ramdev urged finding solutions for the aforementioned diseases as allopathy is a field, which is over 200 years old.

Ayurveda always Looked down upon: Baba Ramdev

In the letter addressed to Harsh Vardhan, through which he had withdrawn his comment on allopathy, the Patanjali co-founder and Yoga guru had talked about bias towards Ayurveda. He had said, "Many doctors have called Ayurveda, Yoga as 'pseudo science' and have disrespected, and hurt the feelings of many. This should be avoided." Moving on to compare Ayurveda and allopathy, the yoga guru had said, "If allopathy has found the treatment of diseases like Polio and Tuberculosis, Ayurveda has given the formula to keep lingering diseases like Blood pressure, sugar, thyroid, fatty liver, under control." He had further added, "Even in the times of Corona, though we respect and appreciate the selfless service provided by doctors to save the lives of crores of people across India, we would like to highlight that even we have saved the lives of many, and even that should also be respected. "

Asking about non-surgical treatments for heart related problems which prove to be expensive for many, Ramdev questioned,

• What treatment does the pharma industry offer to treat heart blockages? Does it also offer a non-surgical solution to Angioplasty?
• Does the pharma Industry offer treatment for Enlarged Heart and Ejection Fraction (ET) without using a pacemaker?
Additionally, the letter demanded to know about side-effect-free treatments and permanent cure for several ailments common among Indian people. His questions are as follows:
• Does Allopathy offer treatment for reducing cholesterol triglycerides, which does not cause any side-effect on the liver and can it offer side-effect-free cure for constipation, gastric, acidity and increase hemoglobin?
• Does the pharma Industry have a permanent solution to cure headaches, migraines, insomnia and permanent treatment to improve eyesight and hearing?
• Can allopathy give a permanent treatment for Pyorrhea that can stop the weakening of gums and teeth?
• Is there a medicine, which can help a person reduce 0.5-1 kg every day without any surgical treatment?
• Can allopathy doctors provide a permanent solution for psoriasis, arthritis, white spot syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, spondylitis and turn RA (Rheumatoid factor) from positive to negative?
• Is there any treatment to reduce stress hormones and increase happy/good hormones in allopathy?
• Besides IVF, which is a very painful process, does allopathy offers any natural treatment for infertility?
• Name any medicine in the pharma industry, which can help reverse the ageing process of humans.
• Is there any allopathic medicine, which can help a person give up all substance and alcohol addictions?
He also raised a question on medical advancement which hasn’t been able to treat critical Covid-19 patients without liquid medical oxygen,
• Does the Pharma industry have a solution to treat COVID-19 patients, without using liquid medical oxygen?, Ramdev asks.
Hinting at the innumerable attacks launched at him, Baba Ramdev also asked if allopathy has any treatment for the growing hatred and violence and also a cure that can put an end to the fight between allopathy and Ayurveda with the following questions,
• “Mankind is walking towards the path of hatred and violence. Is there any allopathic treatment for the same?
• Does the pharma industry has a medicine, which can put an end to a fight between allopathy and Ayurveda”, he asked.

Lastly, Baba Ramdev posed a pertinent question as to why do doctors fall sick when allopathy has the solution and treatment for every ailment,

• “If allopathy is capable of treating every disease and health condition, then its doctor should never fall ill”, Ramdev said.

Baba Ramdev’s remarks on allopathy

In a video that went viral on social media, Ramdev could be heard saying that allopathy is a hollow practice and that many people have lost their lives due to allopathic medicines. To this, the Indian Medical Association took strong objection and even threatened to move Court if the Union Health Ministry does not take cognizance of the remarks made by Ramdev.

The letter was ironically also signed by the National President of the IMA Dr JA Jayalal who wanted to use the platform of the Indian Medical Association as a springboard to share the “love of Jesus Christ” and be a “living witness to God and encourage young medical students and doctors to receive Jesus as their personal saviour”.

Patanjali’s contribution to the fight against Covid

Patanjali has come under constant fire since it initiated a battle against Covid. Patanjali was the first Indian company to publish a research paper on the new Covid-19 drug approved by DCGI.

On May 8, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) had announced that it got approval for an anti-Covid-19 therapeutic application of the drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).

Before DRDO conducted trials on the drug, scientists and experts from Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, Jain Vishwa Bharti Institute, and Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences had published a paper in March 2020 on the possible use of the molecule for Covid-19.

Patanjali’s Coronil had received certification from the Ayush Ministry last year as Baba Ramdev released research on ‘first evidence-based Ayurvedic medicine against COVID’.

Union Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan who was a part of the launch had then remarked that Ayurveda has slowly gained prominence in a host of countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Colombia, Mauritius, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and China. He added that across the world, Ayurveda of India is being institutionalised in the regular medical system and a doctor with a degree in Ayurveda is welcomed in many countries for the skill he/she possesses.

However, Ramdev’s sharp remarks against doctors and the Pharma industry is being objected by many since it has the potential to spread misinformation and involves risks.