Ramdev withdraws remarks against allopathy after Harsh Vardhan's rebuke

New Delhi, May 23: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has withdrawn his objectionable remarks against allopathy after being rebuked by Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan.

Responding to a letter from Union Health Minister said he wants to put the matter to rest.

"Received your letter Dr Harsh Vardhan. In that context and to end the whole controversy over the conflict of different treatments with regrets, I am withdrawing my statement," he tweeted.

However, just eight minutes later, he also retweeted a post by a Twitter user that said: "Yoga and Ayurveda give us compete health. Modern medical science has limitations. It only gives symptomatic treatment whereas Yoga and Ayurveda gives systemic treatment."

Citing a video circulating on social media, the Indian Medical association on Saturday had said Ramdev has claimed that allopathy is a "stupid science" and medicines such as remdesivir, faviflu, and other drugs approved by the Drugs Controller General of India have failed to treat COVID-19 patients.

The doctors'' body also quoted Ramdev as saying that "lakhs of patients have died after taking allopathic medicines".

These remarks were denied as "false" by the Haridwar-based Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust.

In his letter, Vardhan asked Ramdev to withdraw his statement on allopathy and said the remarks disrespects ''corona warriors'' and hurts the sentiments of the country.

"When allopathic doctors saved lives of crores during Covid, your comments that allopathy is responsible for the death of lakhs is extremely unfortunate. We should not forget that the Covid battle can be won only through joint efforts," Vardhan said.

"You also are aware that countless healthcare workers lost their lives in their fight against Covid," he said in the letter.

"You calling allopathy treatment a ''drama, useless and diwaliya'' (causing bankruptcy) is unfortunate," the health minister said.