Govt fighting AIDS with ads: Swami Ramdev

Lucknow, May 23 (UNI) Yoga guru Swami Ramdev today lamented that the central government was only fighting AIDS with ''ads'' through various mass media.

''Instead of propogating a righteous lifestyle based on ethical and cultural values, the central government is instead promoting adulterous behaviour with its AIDS-centric campaigns,'' the Yoga exponent said addressing a news conference here.

He claimed that more people were annually dying of heart diseases in the country, than the total population suffering from AIDS.

''An estimated 60 lakh people die in the country of heart related ailments every year, which is a worldwide scourge, far greater in magnitude than HIV/AIDS,'' he maintained.

''However, the Union Health Ministry is focussing on AIDS and aiming to check it through its ads and programmes by roping in actors, who indulge in objectionable antics on the stage,'' Swami Ramdev said, in an obvious reference to the recent Richard Gere-Shilpa Shetty kiss episode during an AIDS awareness programme in New Delhi.

He said apart from heart ailments, other lifestyle diseases such diabetes and high blood pressure had afflicted a large chunk of the Indian population, which unless controlled would spell doom to the future generation.

Stressing upon the benefits of Yoga in cleansing ones body and soul, the internationally renowned Swami maintained that ''five star health facilities'' could never rid the Indian population of the plethora of ailments and diseases.

Referring to an Oxford University study, Swami Ramdev stated that almost 60 per cent of the Indians do not have access to critical medical facilities, ''which the central government could not meet with its scarce resources at hand.'' ''Only Yoga has the power to purify our mind, soul and body to allow us enjoy the honey of healthy life,'' he averred.

The Swami is holding a Yoga camp here from May 25 for his thousands of disciples and followers. About 4,000 people belonging to the economically weaker sections would be given free entry, he announced.

UNI