News Analysis India

Tag: Acharya Balkrishna

  • Yoga guru Ramdev’s launch of TV channels in Nepal faces opposition over registration row

    By PTI

    KATHMANDU: The Nepal government will take action against yoga guru Ramdev’s two television channels if it is found that they are being operated in the country without seeking permission and or following due procedures, a senior official said on Sunday.

    Nepal’s Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ jointly launched the two TV channels – Aastha Nepal TV and Patanjali Nepal TV – in the presence of Ramdev and his close aide Acharya Balkrishna on Friday.

    The channels are meant for broadcasting religious and yoga-related programmes.

    However, Director General of Nepal’s Department of Information and Broadcasting Gogan Bahadur Hamal said that two television channels have never applied for registration and did not follow any legal procedure to start them.

    “We will take action if we found that Patanjali Nepal and Ashtha Nepal channels belonging to India’s yoga guru Ramdev and Acharya Balakrishna have built infrastructures to broadcast the television programmes without fulfilling any legal formalities and even having registered,” Hamal told PTI.

    “We can’t believe the statement issued by the Patanjali Nepal. We have formed an investigation committee to find out the truth. If they have made any preparation regarding operating the television channels from Nepal without our permission and without following due procedures, we will take necessary action,” Hamal said.

    However, Patanjali Yogpeeth Nepal said in a statement that it has already gone through a verification process for the television channels from Company Registrar’s Office and the process has been initiated for further permission from the bodies concerned for operating the television channels.

    “We have not actually broadcast the television channels, we have only made technical preparation for the same. We have only inaugurated the television broadcasting office building,” it said.

    It said the television channels – aimed at broadcasting programmes relating to yoga, Ayurvedic education, culture, literature and spiritual philosophy – will start operating only after the due processes.

    Commenting on the development, Patanjali Spokesperson S K Tijarawala said that the Aastha TV has a due license for downlinking in Nepal, which is valid up to 2024.

    “Prime Minister Debuba inaugurated the trial run of two channels – Aastha Nepal TV and Patanjali Nepal TV – with country-specific content in the Nepali language on November 19, 2021. It has got 30 days time to get commercial approval for this trial run for full telecast,” he said.

    He said that full broadcast will start as per the due procedure after December 19.

    “Information & Broadcasting Ministry of the Government of Nepal has already acknowledged the fact that this inauguration of the two channels – Aastha Nepal TV and Patanjali Nepal TV – is as per due diligence following the rules and regulations,” he added.

    Meanwhile, the Federation of Nepalese Journalists, an umbrella organisation of local journalists, issued a statement, saying the country’s law prevents foreign investment in the media and the launching of television channels by the Patanjali group was a violation of the law.

    “We want to remind the group concerned about the existing laws and rules that prevent operating TV channels under foreign investment,” it said.

  • Ramdev’s aide Acharya Balkrishna accuses IMA president of conspiring to convert India to christianity

    Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: After controversy erupted over Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev’s comment about allopathy being a ‘Stupid Science’ and over 10,000 doctors have died even after taking both the doses of Covid 19 vaccine, his aide Acharya Balkrishna has come up with a conspiracy theory. 

    Balkrishna in his Tweet said, “As part of the conspiracy to convert the entire country into #Christianity, #Yoga and #Ayurveda are being maligned by targeting @yogrishiramdev jee. Countrymen, wake up now from the deep slumber otherwise the generations to come will not forgive you.” 

    As part of the conspiracy to convert the entire country into #Christianity, #Yoga and #Ayurveda are being maligned by targeting @yogrishiramdev jee. Countrymen, wake up now from the deep slumber otherwise the generations to come will not forgive you. pic.twitter.com/L9ONOJgy9v
    — Acharya Balkrishna (@Ach_Balkrishna) May 24, 2021

    In a series of tweets, Balkrishna accused Dr. Johnrose Jayalal, president of the Indian Medical Association, that he is involved in the conversion of people to Christianity. To support his claims, Balkrishna tweeted some news clippings too. 

    Medical doctors reacting to the Tweet said this is unacceptable and instead of taking responsibility for unwarranted, unsubstantiated comments about life-saving medicine stream, Ramdev and his aides have resorted to a smear campaign.

    Dr. DD Chaudhary, a member of the central working committee of the Indian Medical Association commenting on the issue said, “This is unfortunate that such people with a big following are making statements like this. At this hour, there should be nothing like this to create confusion and divide among the masses. People will be confused and suffer.”

    The tweet left the netizens divided with some supporting Ramdev and Balkrishna and others slamming and opposing them. 

    A user wrote, “Indian Medical Association doctors often mock Ayurveda as a pseudoscience may be out of competition or ignorance.”

    Another user Tweeted, “Glad that Acharya Balkrishna and Baba Ramdev isn’t taking this lying down. The fact is IMA Chief advocated Christianity and that’s the root for their enemies with Ayurveda.”

    One of the users who slammed the Yoga Guru and his aide wrote, “Low life pathetic guys you both are, you target allopathy branch to promote your concoction which is untested and now give it a communal angle.”

    Another user who criticized the duo tweeted, “By exploiting sentiments of ordinary Indians over Yoga & # Ayurveda, Baba Ramdev alias Baalkishan Yadav & Modi have formed a criminal nexus. Modi is using his reach to gain votes & in return awarding him government lands in BJP ruled states to expand his business.”

    Responding to the queries related to Balkrishna’s Tweet, SK Tijarawala, spokesperson of Patanjali Yogpeeth said, “This is as per best of information in social media etc. These things (conversion allegations) must be looked into and investigation must be initiated against a person who is electoral head of an organisation of noble professionals.”

    Uttarakhand chapter of the Indian Medical Association is mulling to file defamation case against Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev following his remarks about allopathic medicine. 

    A notice has been already sent to the Yoga Guru and if a satisfactory reply is not received,  a case will be filed against him. 

    Ramdev withdrew his statement in reply to union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan who called his remarks ‘inappropriate’. However, he also asked 25 questions to the IMA.

    Earlier, a video went viral in which Ramdev can be seen reading out a message that has gone viral on social media.

    Meanwhile, another video of the Yoga Guru surfaced on Monday in which be can be heard saying that more than 10,000 doctors in India have died even after getting both doses of Covid 19 vaccine.