While reiterating the justification offered by Patanjali on Saturday, Baba Ramdev said that he was merely reading a WhatsApp message shared by someone and that his intention was not to oppose the science.
Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Sunday night, took back his critical statements on allopathy and apologised to doctors who had been fuming over the irresponsible remarks.
Baba Ramdev had landed in a controversy after a viral video on social media showed the yoga guru calling modern allopathy "stupid aur diwaliya science" (stupid and failed science).
While reiterating the justification offered by Patanjali on Saturday, Baba Ramdev said that he was merely reading a WhatsApp message shared by someone and that his intention was not to oppose the science.
माननीय श्री जी आपका पत्र प्राप्त हुआ,
उसके संदर्भ में चिकित्सा पद्दतियों के संघर्ष के इस पूरे विवाद को खेदपूर्वक विराम देते हुए मैं अपना वक्तव्य वापिस लेता हूँ और यह पत्र आपको संप्रेषित कर रहा हूं- pic.twitter.com/jEAr59VtEe
At the same time, Baba Ramdev also fired a salvo at allopathic doctors who ridicule Ayurveda as "pseudoscience".
"If modern medical science has found treatment for serious ailments like polio and tuberculosis, then yoga, Ayurveda and naturopathy too have developed treatment for hereditary ailments like blood pressure, sugar, thyroid, arthritis, fatty liver, hepatitis and asthma."
The Patanjali co-founder's response came after a nudge from Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan.
In a letter, Harsh Vardhan said that Baba Ramdev's statements not only showed disrespect towards the frontline workers who were making undying efforts to fight the infections, he had also hurt the sentiments of the common masses.
"I do not think this clarification is enough. I hope you will sincerely give a thought to this issue and retract your offensive and unfortunate sentence," Dr Harsh Vardhan said.
संपूर्ण देशवासियों के लिए के खिलाफ़ दिन-रात युद्धरत डॉक्टर व अन्य स्वास्थ्यकर्मी देवतुल्य हैं।
बाबा जी के वक्तव्य ने कोरोना योद्धाओं का निरादर कर,देशभर की भावनाओं को गहरी ठेस पहुंचाई।
मैंने उन्हें पत्र लिखकर अपना आपत्तिजनक वक्तव्य वापस लेने को कहा है। pic.twitter.com/QBXCdaRQb1
"Allopathy and the doctors attached to it have given new lives to crores of people. It is regrettable for you to say that people died from consuming allopathic medicines. We should not forget that this battle can only be won through united efforts. In this war, our doctors, nurses and other health workers are risking their lives to save people's lives. Their dedication towards serving humanity in this crisis is unparalleled and exemplary," Dr Harsh Vardhan said.
In his letter, Baba Ramdev said that if allopathy doctors had saved many lives while risking their lives, then ayurvedic practitioners deserve similar respect.
Earlier, the Indian Medical Association sought that the Union Health Minister either accept the accusation and dissolve modern medical facilities or prosecute Baba Ramdev and book him under the Epidemic Diseases Act.