Guru Ramdev's yoga teacher condemns his medicines

     Dehradun (Uttaranchal): Yoga Guru Ramdev's luck and popularity appears to be running out. Already facing flak and controversy over the kind of ayurvedic medicines his pharmacy is marketing, the guru is now being criticised by his spiritual mentor for commercialising the practice of yoga. Sant Muni Yogacharya of Haridwar-based Navshakti Yogpeeth says that selling yoga like a businessman is simply not on. "The medicines which Ramdevji sells is not of good quality. If he becomes a yogacharya to earn good money, then he is not a true yogacharya. This is wrong," said Sant Muni Yogacharya. "His lessons of yoga are not correct. A person needs at least two to three years of rigorous lessons to learn the true art of yoga. But Ramdevji teaches the same in just seven days!," he added.

    Ramdev is in the midst of a major controversy following the Communist Party of India (M) demand for a CBI probe against him for allegedly producing medicines having animal parts and bones. The Left party has also demanded his arrest. On Thursday, CPI(M) supporters clashed with the Guru's supporters over the issue, leading the police to arrest at least 40 of the protesters. The CPI (M) also organised a protest march in Delhi to condemn the "vandalism and attack" by the followers of Swami Ramdev at the party's Delhi headquarters. CPI (M) supporters said that only the arrest of Ramdev would satisfy them. "We will continue with this struggle. We will not sit quietly till Ramdev will be arrested. We want CBI to investigate the matter. Government should also review their policies. Whosoever will try to stop this could possibly loose their jobs," said B. K. Singh, Vice President, The Centre for Trade Unions (CITU), Uttaranchal belt. The state government will take its decision once the Central government report is received by them. "This is the matter of facts. I am the chief minister of this state and once I 'll receive the facts, then only i would be in a position to take any decesion," said ND Tiwari, Chief minister, Uttranchal. The leaders of CPI(M) also alleged that the Ramdev followers were "frustrated" at the "fall in medicine sale" in the Swami's pharmacy after Brinda Karat's allegation of animal parts being found in the medicines produced there, "proved to be true in laboratory tests." CITU had launched an agitation against retrenchment of 110 workers in Ramdev's factory recently.

    But all is not lost for Guru Ramdev. Ayurveda practitioners in Allahabad have come out in support of the view that there is no harm in using human bones and animal parts in traditional and alternative systems of medicines. These practitioners claim that the use of animal bones is permissible in Ayurveda medicines and its use was also mentioned in ancient Ayurvedic literature. Principal of the Government Ayurveda College, Handia Prof GS Tomar has been quoted by papers as saying that the accusations against Swami Ramdev are baseless, and that the present criticism is actually an attack on the ancient and time-tested science of Ayurveda which was widely practised by saints and seers. "The Ayurveda medicines are of three types. These are from vegetable origin, animal origin and metal origin. The animal origin Ayurveda medicines contain shell, pearl, animal bone and deer's horns used after their natural death. The deer horns are used in Ayurveda preparations and recommended to patients suffering from respiratory infection. These medicines have no side-effect and the body absorbs them easily. They provide holistic relief to the patients," he said. According to Professor Tomar, cow's urine (in distilled form) is another Ayurveda medicine recommended to cancer patients for increasing their immunity. The specialty of cow's urine is also mentioned in Ayurveda literature.

   Another Ayurveda practitioner Dr SK Rai has been quoted by the Hindustan Times as saying that "There are a number of Ayurveda medicines which contain animal bones and shells because they are a rich source of calcium." "All Ayurveda medicines are processed at least eight times to bring into biological form so that it gets easily absorbed and assimilates in the body, leaving no side-effect. We are practising Shastriya Ayurveda, which is 5000 years old. In the past also there was no controversy over the contents of the Ayurveda medicines," he said.

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