The Hindu : National : "Traces of animal products confirmed"

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 04, 2006

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National

"Traces of animal products confirmed"

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha member Brinda Karat on Tuesday said she had recently received a letter from the Health and Family Welfare Ministry confirming the presence of animal products and human skulls in the Ayurvedic preparations of Divya Yog Pharmacy. The pharmacy is owned by yoga guru Ramdev.

"I had sent medicines that I had got from the pharmacy in Uttaranchal to the Ministry in July. I had requested that these medicines be tested for animal matter and powder made from human skulls. I received a letter from them on December 29 that confirmed my apprehensions," she said at a press conference here.

Ms. Karat has also written to Uttaranchal Chief Minister N.D. Tiwari asking him to take legal action against Mr. Ramdev "for his blatant violation of the labelling procedure of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act."

`Using his popularity'

"This information will be a great shock to people who are followers of the guru. He is using the popularity that he has gained through television channels to sell adulterated drugs. This is not correct. We also want to demonstrate that however important people are they cannot break laws," she said.

Stating that it was the moral responsibility of the Uttaranchal Government to take action, Ms. Karat said people had the right to know what went into the medicines they used. "If people want to eat medicine knowing that it has animal material and human skull, then it is okay. But they should know that. This is just a breach of faith," she said.

`Ready for probe'

PTI reports from Lucknow:

In a prompt rejoinder to CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat's allegations that animal parts and human bones were being used in ayurvedic medicines prepared by Baba Ramdev's pharmacy, the spiritual leader said on Tuesday that he was ready for a probe into the matter.

``I am ready for a probe by any government agency [into allegations levelled by Ms. Karat]," he told a press conference here.

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