Politics of “Putrajeevak Beej”                                                                                                 Thursday, May 28, 2015 

Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Naik has stated that the Ayurvedic medicine “Putrajeevak Beej” promoted by Baba Ramdev was named after a herb of similar name. The Minister giving a clean chit to Baba Ramdev has said that this does not guarantee birth of male children. Though it challenges my limited knowledge of Hindi / Sanskrit but I have to take the word of a Union Minister in this matter of national importance. Sometime back before this controversy erupted If you were however to log on to www.ramdevmedicine.com (which currently has gone blank) you were likely to come across the attachment

Having faith in our chosen leaders I will reluctantly agree with the minister that Baba Ramdev did not violate any section of PCPNDT Act. I was thinking however what fate would have been in store for a qualified gynaecologist who had named her nursing home in Rewari as “Putrajeevak Hospital” after the ancient herb. If she had an ultrasound machine then ofcourse she would be adorning the insides of Tihar Jail without an eyelid having been batted. But then she would have already committed a crime ; having done MBBS and MD . Being qualified doctor / specialist of modern medicine has been declared a crime in India and though the crime is not specified in Indian Penal Code anyone (you do not need police) from relatives, patients to bystanders can decide and dish out the punishment to the perpetrator of this heinous crime of being a qualified doctor of modern medicine.

What surprises me however is that Swamiji who has been promoting his ayurvedic medicines on primetime is neither booked under drugs and magic remedies Act for claiming to cure infertility nor under Indian Medicine Central Council Act 1970 for violating Section 17 subsection 2 clause (b) of the said Act. The subsection 4 of section 17 of the Indian Medicine Central Council Act provides punishment of 1 year jail term for practising Ayurved without having any qualification mentioned under Second , third and fourth schedule and registered in any State register. To the best of my knowledge Baba Ramdev is not registered as a Vaid in the State Register of Indian Medicine.

Claiming to treat sterility or women’s diseases in general is mentioned at serial no 18 & 48 in the schedule attached with Drugs and Magic Remedies Act as Diseases or ailments (by whatever name described) which a drug may not purport to prevent or cure or make claims to prevent or cure. The “Putrajeevak Beej” is according to the honourable minister and Swami Ramdev used for female infertility / sterility.

Law is of course blind and unless these issues are brought to court law has no role to play but even my lay mind thought there was something called “suo motu notice”. Press is of course gagged in this matter by the enormous advertising revenue which it stands to loose if it writes against the Swamiji.

Though I supported the BJP by canvassing for it and voting for it, given the proximity of Swamiji has to the national leaders I expect my views against Baba Ramdev to be taken in same vein as being treacherous and antinational and to booked under Information technology Act.

Dr Neeraj Nagpal Convenor Medicos Legal Action Group
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