Skip to main content

IMA vs Ramdev: Why what's good or bad for goose should be good or bad for gander

By Dr Amitav Banerjee, MD*

Baba Ramdev and his associate Balkrishna faced the wrath of the Supreme Court for their propaganda about their Ayurvedic products and belittling mainstream medicine. Baba Ramdev had to apologize in court. His apology was not accepted and he may face the contempt of court with harsher punishment. The Supreme Court acted on a public interest litigation (PIL) moved by the Indian Medical Association (IMA).
The ethos of modern medical practice is evidence based medicine (EBM) and one should welcome censure against those who make claims unsupported with evidence. However, these strictures should be applicable to all without favor or prejudice.
The pandemic unleashed all types of charlatans promoting their remedies to curb the virus, some rustic, others suave. In a viral infection with 99.9% survival rate till the age of 69 years it would be impossible to appraise which remedy or which intervention worked and which didnтАЩt. But some measures certainly caused much harm to humanity without any benefit and at huge economic cost.
Among these are тАЬphysical distancingтАЭ and тАЬlockdowns.тАЭ Both these drastic draconian measures were implemented in almost all countries without any evidence of their efficacies. Even the great Anthony Fauci who once remarked that if you criticize him, you criticize science, admitted that they just arbitrarily тАЬmade upтАЭ the six feet distance recommended for тАЬphysical distancing!тАЭ
There was intense propaganda to maintain тАЬphysical distancingтАЭ and not to тАЬstep out of the houseтАЭ including caller tunes and promotion by celebrities to observe these unscientific measures which ruined businesses and livelihoods.
The Covid-19 vaccines were also promoted as being effective and safe, the Drug Controller General of India, Dr V G Somani going to the extent of saying that they are 110% safe! It later turned out that at the population level vaccines had little impact in checking transmission and in fact in many countries both cases and deaths from Covid-19 peaked after rollout of mass vaccination.
The safety concerns of the Covid-19 vaccines are also alarming with cumulative evidence ranging from myocarditis to brain strokes. And the Covid-19 vaccines were promoted with much propaganda and тАЬmisinformationтАЭ by responsible authorities like the DCGI (who called them 110% safe), movie stars and other celebrities!
Justice demands that what is good (or bad) for the goose, should be good (or bad), for the gander. All the authorities and celebrities who promoted the unscientific and risky measures like lockdowns and mass vaccinations with experimental vaccines should also be held accountable and tried in a fair manner without fear, favor or prejudice.
There are sporadic demands across the globe for such accountability. The Australian parliament has approached Indian origin UK cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra to give evidence on excess deaths. Dr Malhotra, an eminent cardiologist, has been raising an alarm over myocarditis and other heart conditions associated with the Covid-19 vaccine for some time.
During a visit to India last year, Dr Malhotra also raised concerns about the adverse effects of the Covishield vaccine which was used extensively in the countryтАЩs mass vaccination drive. He had cautioned that the Covishield vaccine had more frequent serious adverse events compared to the mRNA vaccines and for this reason its use in the UK and many other countries was restricted.
Another Indian origin expert, Prof Jay Bhattacharya, Professor of Medicine and Health Economics at Stanford University had advised the Indian policy makers in Jan 2021 before the mass vaccination rollout that our population had natural immunity and vaccinating them at mass scale will provide no benefit and some harm.
An extreme example is that of British parliamentarian Andrew Bridgen. In a bizarre turn of events Andrew Bridgen has called for maximum punishment for the great and honorable philanthropist Bill Gates and other figures for their role in crimes against humanity during the pandemic! He made this sensational demand during a recent parliamentary session in Westminster leaving all stunned.
Bridgen strongly recommended for a parliamentary debate on crimes against humanity and appropriate penalties for those who colluded, perpetuated and covered up atrocities against the citizens of the world on the pretext of the pandemic.
тАЬHeads of governments around the world and others below them have engaged in what is tantamount to treason against the public,тАЭ Bridgen declared. Taking his concerns beyond the parliament Bridgen lodged a police complaint for an enquiry into the acts of omissions and commissions during the pandemic.
World renowned virologist, Dr Sucharit Bhakdi, gave a presentation to the German parliament a few months ago on the profiteering from the Covid-19 vaccines and the potential harms from them.
According to him:
тАЬтАжthe vaccines turned out to be the greatest blessing for the money and the worldтАЩs elites, for the pharmaceutical industry and politics. They could pursue their own interests, under the slogan, тАШeverything for public health,тАЩ тАШeverything for the welfare of the general public.тАЩ To achieve this goal, they took the help of the WHO. This is a non-democratically nominated group of people, a private association that is on a mission of power grab over 190 member countries by way of the WHO pandemic accord along with the amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR).тАЭ
Dr Bhakdi also presented the evidence associating the vaccines with sudden deaths and heart damage summing up with these strong words, тАЬAnyone who claims that vaccination rarely causes serious side effects is either incredibly ignorant or infinitely evil.тАЭ
Compared to such evil, if established by honest inquiry, Baba RamdevтАЩs indiscretions may pale into insignificance. Baba RamdevтАЩs product тАЬCoronilтАЭ a tri-herbal formulation did undergo tests for efficacy against the novel coronavirus and the results were published in a peer reviewed journal. And so far there are no reports of adverse events from Coronil.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the Covid-19 vaccines. While Baba Ramdev may have gone overboard and exceeded his brief in criticizing mainstream medicine, he at least met the first principle of medical ethics, i.e. тАЬfirst do no harm.тАЭ
The Supreme Court has been harsh on Baba Ramdev. Justice demands that such injunctions should also be passed on others who have breached medical ethics and indulged in propaganda for profit or politics.
IMA should be non-partisan and call for thorough investigations on all the acts of omission and commissions by all players whether of mainstream or alternative systems of medicine.
What is good (or bad) for the goose should be good (or bad) for the gander.
---
*Renowned epidemiologist, currently is a professor at a Medical College in Pune, India. Having served as an epidemiologist in the armed forces for over two decades, he recently ranked in Stanford UniversityтАЩs list of the worldтАЩs top 2% scientists. He has penned the book, тАЬCovid-19 Pandemic: A Third EyeтАЭ and has delivered keynote addresses in national and international forums

Comments

Dr Sandip Raha saidтАж
Well you should post all the scientist / experts names you have quoted with theirhyperlink of reference publication.
COVID 19 vaccine was promoted for prevention of serious outcome of Corona virus. Most people who died of COVID 19 either had no vaccination or had significant co mobilities. Do you know how many people all over world died 3-4 weeks after vaccination? Saying it has 99% revocery rate is mis information as recovery depends on health care, age, co morbidity etc etc.please quote coronil reference for me to see. Yes companies have made billions from vaccine so they have made selling lots of other drugs with side effects. It is easy to say all these sitting in 2024 when we were running out of oxygen, ambulances, beds and ventilators in 2021-22. Ask any front line doctors who have seen it all. As far I know Baba Ramdev promotions are mostly unscientific and misinformation on many health matters. Do we have data of how many of his treated people ended up in hospital afterwards?
Amitav Banerjee saidтАж
I have given the hyperlinks in the text in browon font.
Amitav Banerjee saidтАж
Well I was a front line doctor working in the community including slums during the pandemic. I am elderly touching 70, at thet time underwent major eye surgery for retinal detachment. As post operative I was on steroids, I deferred vaccine which had just rolled out as I presumed being on immunosuppresant the response to vaccine would be poor. After 3 monhts before my second eye surgery while getting a blood test done, I checked my antibody status to Covid-19 and found it very high. Apparently I had recovered from asymptomatic natural infection. Since then I did not feel the need for the vaccine - I was following the established science, not Fauci's science.
I have given the link to all the references in the text - click the brown fonts to go to the sources.

TRENDING

AurangzebтАЩs last will recorded by his Maulvi: Allah shouldn't make anyone emperor

By Mohan Guruswamy  AurangzebтАЩs grave is a simple slab open to the sky lying along the roadside at Khuldabad near Aurangabad. I once stopped by to marvel at the tomb of an Emperor of India whose empire was as large as Ashoka the Great's. It was only post 1857 when Victoria's domain exceeded this. The epitaph reads: "Az tila o nuqreh gar saazand gumbad aghniyaa! Bar mazaar e ghareebaan gumbad e gardun bas ast." (The rich may well construct domes of gold and silver on their graves. For the poor folks like me, the sky is enough to shelter my grave) The modest tomb of Aurangzeb is perhaps the least recognised legacies of the Mughal Emperor who ruled the land for fifty eventful years. He was not a builder having expended his long tenure in war and conquest. Towards the end of his reign and life, he realised the futility of it all. He wrote: "Allah should not make anyone an emperor. The most unfortunate person is he who becomes one." AurangzebтАЩs last will was re...

Beyond his riding skill, Karl Umrigar was admired for his radiance, sportsmanship, and affability

By Harsh Thakor*  Karl Umrigar's name remains etched in the annals of Indian horse racing, a testament to a talent tragically cut short. An accident on the racetrack at the tender age of nineteen robbed India of a rider on the cusp of greatness. Had he survived, there's little doubt he would have ascended to international stature, possibly becoming the greatest Indian jockey ever. Even 46 years after his death, his name shines brightly, reminiscent of an inextinguishable star. His cousin, Pesi Shroff, himself blossomed into one of the most celebrated jockeys in Indian horse racing.

PUCL files complaint with SC against Gujarat police, municipal authorities for 'unlawful' demolitions, custodial 'violence'

By A Representative   The People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has lodged a formal complaint with the Chief Justice of India, urging the Supreme Court to initiate suo-moto contempt proceedings against the police and municipal authorities in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The complaint alleges that these officials have engaged in unlawful demolitions and custodial violence, in direct violation of a Supreme Court order issued in November 2024.

How the slogan Jai Bhim gained momentum as movement of popularity and revolution

By Dr Kapilendra Das*  India is an incomprehensible plural country loaded with diversities of religions, castes, cultures, languages, dialects, tribes, societies, costumes, etc. The Indians have good manners/etiquette (decent social conduct, gesture, courtesy, politeness) that build healthy relationships and take them ahead to life. In many parts of India, in many situations, and on formal occasions, it is common for people of India to express and exchange respect, greetings, and salutation for which we people usually use words and phrases like- Namaskar, Namaste, Pranam, Ram Ram, Jai Ram ji, Jai Sriram, Good morning, shubha sakal, Radhe Radhe, Jai Bajarangabali, Jai Gopal, Jai Jai, Supravat, Good night, Shuvaratri, Jai Bhole, Salaam walekam, Walekam salaam, Radhaswami, Namo Buddhaya, Jai Bhim, Hello, and so on. A soft attitude always creates strong relationships. A relationship should not depend only on spoken words. They should rely on understanding the unspoken feeling too. So w...

CPMтАЩs evaluation of BJP reflects its political character and its reluctance to take on battle against neo-fascism

By Harsh Thakor*  A controversial debate has emerged in the revolutionary camp regarding the Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s categorization of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Many Communists criticize the CPMтАЩs reluctance to label the BJP as a fascist party and India as a fascist state. Various factors must be considered to arrive at an accurate assessment. Understanding the original meaning and historical development of fascism is essential, as well as analyzing how it manifests in the present global and national context.

State Human Rights Commission directs authorities to uphold environmental rights in Vadodara's Vishwamitri River Project

By A Representative  The Gujarat State Human Rights Commission (GSHRC) has ordered state and Vadodara municipal authorities to strictly comply with environmental and human rights safeguards during the Vishwamitri River Rejuvenation Project, stressing that the riverтАЩs degradation disproportionately affects marginalized communities and violates citizensтАЩ rights to a healthy environment.  The Commission mandated an immediate halt to ecologically destructive practices, rehabilitation of affected communities, transparent adherence to National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders, and public consultations with experts and residents.   The order follows the Concerned Citizens of Vadodara coalitionтАФenvironmentalists, ecologists, and urban plannersтАФsubmitting a detailed letter to authorities, amplifying calls for accountability. The group warned that current plans to тАЬre-sectionтАЭ and тАЬdesiltтАЭ the river contradict the NGTтАЩs 2021 Vishwamitri River Action Plan, which prioritizes floodpla...

Haven't done a good deed, inner soul is cursing me as sinner: Aurangzeb's last 'will'

Counterview Desk The Tomb of Aurangzeb, the last of the strong Mughal emperors, located in Khuldabad, Aurangabad district, Maharashtra, has this epitaph inscribed on it: "Az tila o nuqreh gar saazand gumbad aghniyaa! Bar mazaar e maa ghareebaan gumbad e gardun bas ast" (the rich may well construct domes of gold and silver on their graves. For the poor folks like me, the sky is enough to shelter my grave).

How polarization between different ideological trends within the communist movement sharpened in India

By Harsh Thakor*  This article is a rejoinder to A Note on Slogans of тАЬLeft Unity,тАЭ тАЬUnity of the Communist RevolutionariesтАЭ and тАЬMass LineтАЭ by Umair Ahmed, published on the Nazariya blog .

рд░рд╛рдЬрд╕реНрдерд╛рди, рдордзреНрдпрдкреНрд░рджреЗрд╢, рдкрд╢реНрдЪрд┐рдо рдмрдВрдЧрд╛рд▓, рдЭрд╛рд░рдЦрдВрдб рдФрд░ рдХреЗрд░рд▓ рдлрд┐рд╕рдбреНрдбреА: рдЬрд▓ рдЬреАрд╡рди рдорд┐рд╢рди рдХреЗ рд▓рдХреНрд╖реНрдп рдХреЛ рдкрд╛рдиреЗ рд╕рдордиреНрд╡рд┐рдд рдкреНрд░рдпрд╛рд╕ рдЬрд░реВрд░реА

- рд░рд╛рдЬ рдХреБрдорд╛рд░ рд╕рд┐рдиреНрд╣рд╛*  рдЬрд▓ рд╕рдВрд╕рд╛рдзрди рд╕реЗ рдЬреБрдбрд╝реА рд╕реНрдерд╛рдпреА рд╕рдорд┐рддрд┐ рдиреЗ рд╡рд░реНрддрдорд╛рди рд▓реЛрдХрд╕рднрд╛ рд╕рддреНрд░ рдореЗрдВ рдкреЗрд╢ рд░рд┐рдкреЛрд░реНрдЯ рдореЗрдВ рдмрддрд╛рдпрд╛ рд╣реИ рдХрд┐ "рдирд▓ рд╕реЗ рдЬрд▓" рдорд┐рд╢рди рдореЗрдВ рд░рд╛рдЬрд╕реНрдерд╛рди, рдордзреНрдпрдкреНрд░рджреЗрд╢, рдкрд╢реНрдЪрд┐рдо рдмрдВрдЧрд╛рд▓, рдЭрд╛рд░рдЦрдВрдб рдФрд░ рдХреЗрд░рд▓ рдлрд┐рд╕рдбреНрдбреА рд╕рд╛рдмрд┐рдд рд╣реБрдП рд╣реИрдВред рдЬрдмрдХрд┐ рджреЗрд╢ рдХреЗ 11 рд░рд╛рдЬреНрдпреЛрдВ рдореЗрдВ рд╢рдд-рдкреНрд░рддрд┐рд╢рдд рдЧреНрд░рд╛рдореАрдгреЛрдВ рдХреЛ рдирд▓ рд╕реЗ рдЬрд▓ рдЖрдкреВрд░реНрддрд┐ рд╢реБрд░реВ рдХрд░ рджреА рдЧрдИ рд╣реИред рд░рд┐рдкреЛрд░реНрдЯ рдореЗрдВ рд╕рдорд┐рддрд┐ рдиреЗ рдХреЗрдВрджреНрд░ рд╕рд░рдХрд╛рд░ рдХреЛ рд╕рд┐рдлрд╛рд░рд┐рд╢ рдХреА рд╣реИ рдХрд┐ рдорд┐рд╢рди рдкреБрд░рд╛ рдХрд░рдиреЗ рдореЗрдВ рд░рд╛рдЬреНрдп рд╕рд░рдХрд╛рд░реЛрдВ рдХреА рд╕рдорд╕реНрдпрд╛рдУрдВ рдкрд░ рдЧреМрд░ рдХрд┐рдпрд╛ рдЬрд╛рдПред 

Implications of deaths of Maoist leaders G. Renuka and Ankeshwarapu Sarayya in Chhattisgarh

By Harsh Thakor*  In the wake of recent security operations in southern Chhattisgarh, two senior Maoist leaders, G. Renuka and Ankeshwarapu Sarayya, were killed. These operations, which took place amidst a historically significant Maoist presence, resulted in the deaths of 31 individuals on March 20th and 16 more three days prior.