Ram Kishan Yadav or Ramdev is a product of grand Hindutva package that works through raising 'cultural' issues. He has indeed succeeded in reaching Indian households, even outside, through his yoga. As we wait for miracles in India, he seemed to be the 'miracle' man. All those who didn't want to put their bodies to trouble felt that his miracles were boon for them. The business started once he became a brand.
Powerful lobbies entered in and his Patanjali started producing ayurvedic products. He was one of the promoters of 'India against corruption' along with other babas like Sri Sri Ravishankar, who seems to have vanished and ceded his space to another spokesperson of Hindutva called 'Satguru', whose story of violating the land law in Coimbatore has been known to all.
Ramdev's empire at Hardwar has also lots of ifs and buts but the Narendra Modi government has been extraordinarily soft towards him. Patanjali was established as a non-profitable trust earning huge profits through income tax exemptions, a difficult task for other NGOs and organisations to get these days. Slowly, he started entering into our newsrooms by sponsoring programmes. Today, Ramdev's Patanjali is sponsor of large number of news programmes of all major channels.
Ramdev fixed into RSS scheme of things very well by raising false 'sense of pride' and using the same narratives as the Sangh Parivar has indulged in terming all those who differ with them as anti-national. Nobody questions Ram Kishan Yadav when he teaches yoga to people. It it good that we should learn it and keep fit but the problem starts when he ventured in every issue and make those comments which, if made by any other person, would have landed him/her in jail.
He launched Coronil product in the presence of two Union Minister, Harsh Vardhan and Nitin Gadkari, claiming that the product is approved by World Health Organisation (WHO). It was shameful thing to have made the claim in front of the Union Health Minister which was rejected by WHO immediately. But neither Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan nor Ram Kishan Yadav felt apologetic about it. In any other country, the government would have faced serious crisis for promoting such fake products, but then in India these fake ideas are the trump-card of Sangh parivar.
A few days back Ram Kishan Yadav made two insensitive remarks which should have forced the government to act against him. His first remark was against the people who were gasping for oxygen. He said that there is enough oxygen in the air and we need not worry about it and that it is surprising for people were dying of oxygen.
He exact word were: "Marte hain aise hi. Arey, bhagwaan ne muft mein oxygen de rakhi hai. (People say) oxygen ki kami pad rahi hai...bhagwaan ne saara bramhmand bhar rakha hai oxygen se... le toh le. Bahar cylinder dhoondh rahe hain, to apne bheetar do cylinder laga rakhe hain... cylinder kam pad gaye".
Ram Kishan Yadav is promoting 'positivity' as the government wants him to and that is why he has spread so much hatred and negativity. There was no reaction from BJP, RSS or the Government of India, though social media was enraged at this cruel and barbaric remark.
Later, Ram Kishan Yadav made a much bigger and outrageous remark against the medical fraternity. He mocked at modern science and said that so many thousand doctors had died due to coronavirus, so when the doctors are unable to 'protect' themselves how will they protect others? He appeared to claim he was a bigger doctor.
About 750 doctors have died due to Covid-19. Thousands of health workers worked day in and night to protect us. Many of them died. Ram Kishan Yadav mocked at them insensitively. It is the same man who after a few days of fast against 'corruption' in 2011, got unconscious and had to be admitted to the Swami Rama Hospital in Rishikesh. His chelas did not take him to the Patanjali hospital for treatment.
A couple of days back, Patanjali's head of dairy business Sunil Bansal passed away from Covid-19 complications. He was being treated in a modern hospital. It is another matter that Patanjali's ayurvedic hospital is of no use for their own leaders who speak against modern medicines.
Ram Kishan Yadav apologised, and yet the Health Minister of India behaved like a troll after former Prime Minister Dr Man Mohan Singh wrote a polite letter to Modi on the current situation. He should be prosecuted for his insensitive remarks as well as putting lives of people in danger through his diversionary tactics and irresponsible behaviour.
Patanjali and Ram Kishan Yadav have turned into biggest propagandists of Hindutva, hence the government will not take any action against him. He will continue to lead, speak whatever he wishes and enjoy full patronage. The legitimacy granted to Ram Kishan Yadav is a threat to our rationality and critical inquiry. His utterings can create an atmosphere of mistrust against the fight against Covid-19 for which modern medical system is the only answer and need for protection.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) sent a notice to Ram Kishan Yadav as well as to the Government of India but it seems that powerful ministers were reigned he forced to 'withdraw' his statement. I is time to think whether any criminal can get away with suchan act.
While a case had been filed against him, will IMA allow such farcical 'withdrawal'? Let us hope the medical fraternity will speak up against such foolish and dangerous statement by religious thugs who have blessings of those in power. If such people are not stopped from making these kind of dangerous statements, they may put lives of people in serious trouble. In the fight against Covid-19, we will need to educate our people and develop scientific thinking and spirit of inquiry.
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*Human rights defender
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