Systems of knowledge can never have a fight. It is politicians who try to create a divide by making knowledge systems, medicine systems, languages, and cultures ‘fight’. Their real aim is political polarization—to divide people on religious lines in order to claim their votes. In this process, people are made to feel that one knowledge or medicine system ‘belongs’ to their religion and the other one belongs to an ‘enemy’ religion.
The Yunani system was integrated by Arabs from the Greek system and became ‘Muslim’! This happened when the post-Islam Arabs began extensive trade and other interactions with Europe. Ayurveda is very good. So is Yunani. Both help with certain kinds of illnesses. There are also other important ancient healing systems in the world, such as the Chinese, Tibetan, Korean, Japanese, and Vietnamese systems. All are effective for different types of cures and do not fight each other. How can knowledge systems fight? Only misled and greedy human beings fight for power and wealth. To make their fight acceptable to ordinary people, they give it the colour of community and religion.
It is our tragedy in India that we are caught in this phase currently, thanks to the present governing establishment and its many unfortunate agendas.
It is important to keep in mind that all ancient systems of medicine are mostly nature-based and sometimes animal-based. Generally, they produce no side effects. On the other hand, allopathy, the modern medicine system, relies to a great extent on chemicals and other substances that are artificially generated. This can produce side effects. However, modern medicine is wholly scientifically tested, unlike the ancient systems. Also, its curative value is wider. In an emergency, the modern system is immediately effective if the right medicine is administered. There are other benefits to modern medicine as well, which can treat a much broader range of ailments compared to ancient systems.
For this reason, many people resort to both modern and ancient systems, whichever suits them best.
In my view, it serves no purpose to think of medicine systems as being less valuable or more valuable depending on the profitability of the companies that make different types of medicines.
‘Baba’ Ramdev is a commercial activist trying to exploit his links with the RSS and BJP universe, and behind his commercial brand, he supplies all kinds of beauty and so-called medicines and healthcare products. He is in court fighting charges of fraud. Many good ancient systems of medicine are locally produced and do not come under well-known brands, but have considerable use value. So, keeping the success or failure of a brand—which depends on the efficiency of marketing—does not concern me here.
All one may say is that Ramdev is politicising his sherbet product through the trick of the Hindu-Muslim divide, which politicians have used very effectively in different periods, beginning with the British colonialists when they were in India.
Anand K Sahay is a veteran journalist and former president of Press Club of India (2013-14 and 2019-20).
