Doctors' association call for 'Black Day' on June 1 to protest against Ramdev's remarks

New Delhi, June 01: In a recent development, the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (Forda) has given a call to observe "Black Day" today (June 1) to protest against Ramdev's remarks on allopathic medicines and its practitioners.

According to reports, the nationwide protests are aimed at condemning the "derogatory and distasteful statements" made by the Yoga guru, Forda said, adding that the protests will take place "without hampering the patient care..."

In a video that started doing the rounds on social media, Ramdev calls modern allopathy "a stupid and failed science". He later raised 25 questions on the efficacy of modern medicine. He also questioned the effectiveness of the vaccines against the coronavirus disease while claiming that the fatalities caused by COVID-19 showed that allopathy was not 100 per cent effective.

It is reportedly said that unless Ramdev issues an unconditional open public apology, action against him under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, will be taken.

The Doctors Association Jammu (DAJ) expressed solidarity with Forda and said it will also join the protest. In an appeal to Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha the DAJ said necessary action should be taken against Ramdev for his "irresponsible and despicable public statements".

Meanwhile, the India Medical Association (IMA), too, strongly condemned Ramdev's statement and demanded that Union health minister Harsh Vardhan initiate action against him. The IMA urged the minister to either accept Ramdev's accusations and "dissolve the modern medicine facility" or book him under the Epidemic Diseases Act.