The Haryana government has said that they will give Yoga guru Baba Ramdev’s controversial ayurvedic medicine, Coronil, in the free COVID kits for patients of the state.
Haryana’s Home Minister Anil Vij drew criticism on social media when he announced the decision through a tweet.
He wrote, “One lakh Patanjali Coronil kits will be distributed free of cost to COVID patients in Haryana. Half of the cost of Coronil has been borne by Patanjali and half by the COVID Relief Fund of the Haryana Government.”
The government’s decision drew sharp criticism on Twitter, with people asking why taxpayers’ hard-earned money was being used to buy a medicine made by someone who insulted doctors.
Ramdev lauded his efforts and encouraged other states to also come ahead with similar initiatives like the Haryana government.
Translation: Like the Haryana government, other Central and state governments should also come forward for such an initiative. Patanjali is committed to its cooperation.
Haryana has seen a rise of COVID cases and deaths in rural areas this second wave, a change that the government keeps blaming ongoing farmers' protests for.
Ramdev had problematically stated that his medicine had got a certificate from the WHO, a claim that was rejected by the WHO in Southeast Asia, when they said they did not review or certify Coronil. The IMA has repeatedly expressed shock while noting Ramdev’s blatant lies.
He had also said, during the launch of Coronil in February that the medicine was the ‘first evidence-based medicine for COVID-19’. Sitting right next to him was Union Home Minister Harsh Vardhan. Even then the IMA, in a scathing criticism of Ramdev, asked how the country’s health minister could promote a medicine that was falsely fabricated, and unscientific.
Twitter Reacts to Haryana Govt: ‘Taxpayers Money on Untested Intervention’
Former President of AIIMS Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA) Harjit Singh Bhatti said this was another ‘scandal’.
A Twitter user asked why taxpayers’ money was being used for a medicine, “Why is Haryana spending taxpayers' money on #Coronil, an untested intervention? It is costing the state around Rs 2.7 crore (each kit costs Rs 545 and the government is paying for 50,000 kits). Isn't it better to put this money on something reliable?”
“The governments that are not able to get the vaccine are distributing a fake medicine. In our country, there is no cost to the lives of common people,” a Twitter user, Satish Pandey, said.
Danish Aslam, a filmmaker, tweeted, “So #Haryana is actually funding the distribution of an untested – for lack of a better word – medicine manufactured by a person who thinks science is "stupid". Yup, makes sense.”
Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed said that instead of taking action against Ramdev who has insulted doctors, BJP is using money to buy his ‘fraudulent product’.
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