Yoga guru Ramdev says will take Covid jab, calls doctors 'God's envoys on earth'

Dehradun: Yoga guru Ramdev, who had said he does not need the Covid vaccine as he has the protection of yoga and Ayurveda, has said that he will soon get the jab, describing doctors as "God's envoys on earth". Ramdev had earlier drew the ire of the medical fraternity in the wake of his comments on the efficacy of allopathic drugs against COVID-19. 

Welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement about the free vaccine to all from June 21, Ramdev described it as a "historic" step and appealed to all to get themselves vaccinated.

Talking to reporters in Haridwar, he said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a historic announcement of vaccinating every citizen free of cost from June 21. Everybody should get vaccinated. Also, people should practice yoga and Ayurveda which will prepare a protective shield against disease and will also prevent COVID casualties."

Baba further said, "Get both doses of the vaccine and the double protection of yoga and Ayurveda. They will combine to give you such a robust shield of protection that not a single person will die from Covid."

Asked when he will get the vaccine shot, the yoga guru said, "Very soon." He also heaped praise on good allopathic doctors, describing them as "God's envoys on earth".

On the ongoing confrontation with the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Ramdev said he cannot have any animosity with any organisation. All he was against the exploitation of people in the name of medicines, he said.

Ramdev said Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendras had to be opened because of the tendency among many doctors to prescribe expensive medicines in place of generic drugs, which are much cheaper.

He further said, "I am not against any organisation. Good doctors are a real boon. They are God's envoys on earth. But individual doctors can do wrong things," adding that for emergency treatment and surgery, allopathy is the best.

"When it comes to emergency treatment and surgery, allopathy is the best. There cannot be two opinions about it," said the yoga guru who had caused so much anger among doctors by his recent remarks against allopathy. 

He, however, said that people should practice yoga and Ayurveda which will act as a shield against diseases and will prevent COVID casualties.

Commenting on the drug mafia, Ramdev said, "We cannot be at enmity with any organisation. And all the good doctors are all messengers sent by God on this earth. They are a gift to this planet. But if a person is a doctor does anything wrong then that is the fault of that individual. Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadh stores had to be opened because drug mafias have opened fancy shops where they are selling unnecessary medicines at very high prices instead of basic and necessary ones."

"We want that nobody should be harassed in the name of medicines and people should refrain from unnecessary medication. There is no doubt that allopathy is better for emergency cases and surgeries. But other life-threatening diseases, incurable disorders can be cured through ancient practices listed in Yoga Ayurveda, which is not a matter of argument," said Ramdev.

As the Uttarakhand government announced certain relaxations amid the ongoing COVID-induced curfew, Baba Ramdev requested the state government to allow Char Dham Yatra with COVID guidelines, adding "Some relaxation has been given by the state government during the Corona curfew, but the Char Dham Yatra has not started yet. The government should now start the Char Dham Yatra following COVID guidelines. Business should not be affected due to the lockdown."

Meanwhile, The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Wednesday wrote to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) against yoga guru Ramdev alleging him of making "Unprovoked demeaning and prejudicing utterances against modern medicine".

(With Agency Inputs)