The Rajya Sabha plunged into a big chaos during the Zero Hour on Thursday over Baba Ramdev’s ‘male child promising drug’. This drug is called the ‘putrajeevak beej’ which is manufactured by the Ramdev’s Divya Pharmacy. Apparently, it promises the birth of a male child.
Members of the Sabha were offended and were seeking a ban on the drug and strict action against its manufacturers.
K C Tyagi from Janata Dal-United (JD-U) raised this issue by showing the packet of the drug and called it ‘illegal and unconstitutional’. He was then joined by all the opposers.
Health Minister J P Nadda said that the issue comes under the Ayush department but the government will look into the matter. “It is a serious matter. Government is serious about gender ratio. All departments are working towards it. PM is himself monitoring ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ programme. I will come back to the House. The Government will look into it and proper action will be taken,” he said.
Tyagi showed the packet to the members and said despite the Constitutional guarantee of no discrimination on the basis of caste and gender, the medicine will only perpetuate the gender divide. “The man has been made brand ambassador of Haryana. It is violation of PM’s ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao. How can a state appoint him as brand ambassador?” he said without mentioning Ramdev.
Meanwhile, Sitaram Yechury, CPI-M (Communist Party India-Marxist) walked up to Tyagi and took a look at the drug. Yechury said the medicine also spreads obscurantism and is against the spirit of scientific temper. Jaya Bachchan, SP (Samajwadi Party) then took the medicine to Nadda.
Deputy Chairperson PJ Kurien also joined in and said,”If there is an attempt for selection or option of sex, it is against the spirit of the Constitution.”
Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said,”The issue should not become a topic of discussion. There are many drug-related laws in the country. We will find out if it violates any law.”
Jaya Bachchan then demanded that the license of the company be revoked and the product be removed from the market.
Ghulam Nabi Azad, leader of opposition, feared that the medicine could be spurious and demanded strict punishment.
In a statement, Patanjali Yogpeeth and Divya Yog Mandir said that the medicine was created to treat infertility and had no relation to sex determination. “Some people, due to their ignorance and selfish reasons, are trying to give a bad name to us and to Ayurveda as part of a well-planned campaign. The truth is that ‘putrajeevak aushadhi’ has been used to treat infertility for thousands of years. Its Hindi name is ‘putrajeevak’ and its botanical name is ‘putranjiva roxburghii’. From Chjarak to Sushruta, all experts of Ayurveda have mentioned in the Ayurveda texts that this medicine treats infertility and has no role in sex determination … The ancient texts use the word ‘putrajeevak’ for child,” they said.
Tags: male child med Rajya Sabha Ramdev
