Reacting to the Congress-led Uttarakhand Government all set to lodge FIR against the Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev and Patanjali regarding the controversial Putrajeevak Beej, Acharya Balkrishan, the close confidant of the Baba, said that it smacks of vindictive mindset of the State Government. “This is meant to please the party high command. As far as Putrajeevak Beej is concerned it figures in the classical books on Ayurveda. We did not coin the nomenclature. It is an old one dating back to the ancient ages,” he affirmed while talking to The Pioneer deputy bureau chief Sunil Kumar during an exclusive interview at Patanjali.
The Uttarakhand Government is going to lodge FIR against Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev and Divya Pharmacy, the company engaged in manufacturing Ayurvedic medicine called Putrajeevak Beej. What’s your take on thisIJ
Acharya Balkrishna (AB): If they really have any problem with the name Putrajeevak Beej they had better check things where it first figured. Actually, Putrajeevak Beej is being used to cure infertility and enhance fertility. Nowhere it is claimed that it would help expecting couple to beget male offspring. The medicine was named so by our saints on the basis of its effect.
Would you please explain things in more detailsIJ
AB: As per medical science, fertilization of X & Y chromosome gives birth to male offspring. The role of woman in the process of begetting male child is not much as she carries XX chromosome. When XX and XY are fertilized it results in the conception of female and male child respectively.
As per the Drug and Magic Cosmetic Act-1954, any manner of sex- determination would be an offence. The state government-constituted three- member inquiry committee has found that you have violated the norms. What would you say on thisIJ
AB--Putrajeevak Beej is a fruit of Putranjiva Roxburghii plant. Similar names prevail in Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, Sanskrit, Telugu, Nepali and other languages. Divya Pharmacy is not manufacturing it through processing. We are directly selling the seeds which we procure from tribes, forest dwellers and farmers. Nothing is ours save the wrapper we use to sell them. Putrajeevak plant is found in India, Malaysia, Pakistan and Nepal. Everywhere it is called Putrajeevak and the seed Putrajeevak Beej. The name has been in vogue for ages among the vaidyas, farmers and scientists aside from the common people. Divya Pharmacy has not invented the name. We sell it as it is deemed as a medicine meant to cure infertility. It has nothing to do with any kind of sex- determination. We claim that the seed cures infertility and the women-specific diseases. The wrapper does not contain any claim that if consumed the mothers would beget male children.
Would you please mention the ancient books where the seed figuresIJ
AB: Putrajeevak was mentioned as Atmaja in 3/267 of Charak Samhita. 18/69 of Charak Chiktsa mentioned it as Idgud while 23/243 of Charak Chikitsa mentioned it as Bandhujeeiv.
Some people are hell-bent on defaming Ayurveda. We are naturally their target as we have remained engaged in popularizing Ayurveda in India and abroad. Now, thousands of people are visiting Ayurveda doctors to get relief from myriad ailments across the nation. Even 1000 hospitals and 700 Vaidyas are working under the banner of Patanjali Chikitsalaya. Even we are imparting training to the interested.
Do you think that the Congress-led State Government is intent on harassing you on the matterIJ
AB—They are trying, but they would not succeed.Before packaging Putrajeevak Beej, we had taken license from the Ayush department of Uttarakhand government. (He showed a copy of the license bearing the seal of license Authority and the signature of Ayush director Puja Bhardwaj). If they had some doubts they should not have given permission in the first place.
What is your opinion of Harish RawatIJ
AB---He keeps on saying that the Centre is treating them badly by changing the funding pattern of development projects. Though he is urging the captains of industries to invest and expand business in the state he is acting vindictive towards us. This despite the fact that we have been contributing huge amounts to the state exchequer. This is queer, defying logic.
There is a point against you. When the Union Government is striving hard to protect the interests of the girls under the banner of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao you are selling Putrajeevak BeejIJ
AB—I have already mentioned that Putrajeevak Beej has nothing to do with the sex- determination. It just cures infertility of the women. The charges that we are favouring male offspring to the detriment of the female ones are baseless.
Don’t you think that you are, maybe inadvertently, encouraging the expecting women to go for male child through gaudy advertisement printed on your wrappersIJ
AB—We are clear in our conscience that we are doing nothing immoral. If the state government believes that we have violated the norm it is free to go for a proper probe. But please, don’t conspire against Patanjali and Baba Ramdev. Baba might embark on a march to foil their design if things so warrant during the upcoming Assembly election. We have no lust for money and creature comforts. As far as I am concerned I have embraced suffering during this life of mine. I am happy with the frugal life I have been leading.
As you have recently signed MoU with Future Group under which they will sell your products in their outlets don’t you think that thousands of people who have opened Patanjali outlets in the nook and corner of the country will get disheartenedIJ
AB—No. We have done similar deals with the Big Bazaars. There is nothing to worry. The people who go to the Big Bazaars and those who throng the roadside outlets are different.
As you have signed a deal with Future Group and you dream to become the first among the FMCG companies you are all set to roll out huge volume of products. How would you cope up with the increased demandIJ Do you have any plan to outsource packaging work in the coming daysIJ
AB—As far as capacity increase is concerned we have our own system. It would hardly be a problem. We are expanding things. We are planning to open our units in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Northeast. As far as raw materials are concerned we procure them from Pakistan and China as well. We are not going to outsource our work because we can’t compromise with quality. We have enough manpower and machines to cope up with the hiked demand.
Union Government is opening AIIMS in most of the states. But Patanjali is not going for new facilities outside Haridwar. Do you have any future plan to open Ayurveda hospitals on the pattern of AIIMSIJ
AB---let me tell you one thing that we have 1000 hospitals across the state and 700 doctors are working there. To maintain quality treatment, we have been imparting special training to the doctors. Currently, we have been running training sessions in Gujarat, Bihar and Orissa. We are planning to have Haridwar- like hospitals in Guwhati and Howrah. In Himachal Pradesh, the state government sealed off our newly constructed hospital. But trust me, the court would vacate the order. We have not violated any norm. Even we are planning to roll our hospitals in Modinagar, Panchgani and Teni shortly.