India / Even their father can't arrest me: Ramdev reacts after #ArrestRamdev trends on Twitter

New Delhi: A video, which surfaced on social media on Wednesday, has yoga guru Ramdev challenging the authorities to arrest him. Earlier in the day, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to book the Yoga guru under sedition laws for questioning the efficacy of allopathic medicines and vaccines against Covid-19 disease.

In the 40 second video, Swami Ramdev is seen saying, “Khair arrest to unka koi baap bhi nahi har sakta Swami Ramdev ko…lekin ek shor macha rahey hain...ki arrest Swami Ramdev…kabhi kuch chala detey hai….ki arrest Ramdev…Thug Ramdev…Kabi maha thug Ramdev…Kabi giraftaar Ramdev…chalate rahe hai..chalane do (’No one ..in fact no one’s father can arrest Swami Ramdev…but they are making noise… arrest Ramdev, Thug (con) Ramdev…They are following trends …let them)”

HT cannot independently verify the authenticity, origin or context of the video and Patanjali spokespersons have refrained from commenting on it till the filing of this report.

The war of words between the IMA and the yoga guru has escalated over the past couple of days with Ramdev raising 25 questions on the efficacy of modern medicine and the IMA Uttarakhand chapter threatening him with a ₹1000 crore defamation case. It all started with a video, where Ramdev was seen calling allopathy a ‘stupid science’ and alleging that thousands of doctors had died despite taking the vaccine to prevent Covid-19 infection. He later retracted those comments following the IMA and Union health minister’s objections.

Following Ramdev’s continued questioning of modern medicine, the Delhi Medical Association filed a complaint against the yoga guru and IMA’s Uttarakhand chapter has given him a fortnight to withdraw his remarks.

“Baba Ramdev has no knowledge whatsoever regarding allopathy. Baseless opinion, allegations and statements, as seen in videos surfacing in social media itself, points to his derogatory views about allopathy and doctors who are front line warriors,” said IMA Uttarakhand secretary Dr Ajay Khanna.

Swami Shivanand Saraswati of Matri Sadan ashram said it seems Ramdev has become an arrogant person.

“If allopathy has no significance for him, then why Acharya Balakrishnan was taken to AIIMS Rishikesh two years back for food poisoning. He should prove first that Coronil is much better than allopathic medicine treatment then raise fingers on Covid-19 treatment and fatalities,” said Swami Shivanand Saraswati.

Coronil is an ayurvedic immunity booster manufactured by Ramdev’s firm Patanjali. Acharya Balakrishna is Ramdev’s close aide and co-founder of the firm.

Former president of IMA’s Haridwar chapter, Dr Sandhya Sharma said Ramdev should concentrate on jointly fighting the war against Covid-19.

“Allopathic doctors are working day-night for past 14 months in the fight against Covid-19 and so are Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Unani or Siddha medical therapies,” said Dr Sandhya Sharma

Ramdev has courted controversy before with his remarks. Last year, his company launched Coronil after claiming it was a medicine for Covid, only to withdraw the claim months later. In 2012, he claimed that yoga could cure cancer and HIV-AIDS, drawing strict censure from medical councils.