Yoga Guru Ramdev is in the thick of a controversy following demands by Opposition members in the Rajya Sabha to ban the sale of an Ayurvedic medicine produced by his firm, Divya Pharmacy, which guarantees birth of a male child. The Government agreed to look into the issue and ascertain how the product was issued the sale licence.
Terming the sale of such products as unconstitutional since it discriminated against the girl child, the members, including leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, said the Government should also ascertain the genuineness of the medicine. CPM leader Sitaram Yechury said such medicines promote obscurantism and go against the spirit of scientific temper. In an attempt to cool down the agitated members, Union Health Minister JP Nadda said the Government will probe into the issue and take necessary action. Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien too raised concern over the matter.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, KC Tyagi of JD(U) showed a packet called Putrajeevak Beej, which he claimed to have bought from Divya Pharmacy, that promises the delivery of a male child. He also displayed a copy of the purchase receipt dated April 14 and said the sale of such products by “the Brand Ambassador of Haryana” was illegal and unconstitutional. Several Opposition members raised their voice in tandem.
Jaya Bachchan (SP) could be seen walking across to Nadda to hand over the medicine packet. However, some BJP members objected to brandishing of the packet in the House claiming it was against the rules of the Rajya Sabha. Kurien said sex selection by a medicine or even pre-natal sex determination was against the law and the Constitution, but the Chair cannot do anything about it.
Responding to the Opposition’s protest, Nadda said. “The Government will look into it and a proper action will be taken,” he said, adding the Government is “very serious on sex-ratio,” and the Prime Minister is personally monitoring the “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” campaign. Javed Akhtar (nominated) intervened and asked whether the Government will enquire whether it is illegal to determine sex. Jaya Bachchan said the medicine aims to promote gender bias and demanded that the product be taken out of the market and licence of the pharmacy be cancelled. “Why can’t an assurance be given that they will remove the product from the market, and cancel the licence of the pharmacy,” she said.
Azad said sex ratio in north India, particularly in Haryana, Punjab and Delhi, was a matter of concern and such products must be banned and people behind it punished. Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (TMC) asked the Government to suspend the sale of the product pending enquiry and Kurien asked the Minister to consider this suggestion.