Local physician states ‘Putrajeevak’ row baseless

LUDHIANA: Terming the controversy over ayurveda product by yoga teacher Ramdevs Divya Pharmacy as mindless and nothing more than a political stunt city ayurvedacharyas cleared the air about the medicine Putrajeevak Beej by saying that it is a medicine that ensures child birth and has nothing to do with the gender selection of the child

Updated At : 06:56 AM May 02, 2015 IST

<p>Dr Ravinder Vatsyayan shows flowers of ‘Putrajeevak’ tree at Rose Garden in Ludhiana. Photo: Inderjeet Verma</p>

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 1

Terming the controversy over ayurveda product by yoga teacher Ramdev’s Divya Pharmacy as mindless and nothing more than a political stunt, city ayurvedacharyas cleared the air about the medicine ‘Putrajeevak Beej’ by saying that it is a medicine that ensures child birth and has nothing to do with the gender selection of the child.

City-based Dr Ravinder Vatsyayan, former member of Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha, said it was a baseless controversy going on in the parliament. The name of the herb is going on for the last 1,000 years and has a mention in Granth Sushruta Samhita which goes back to Pre-Christ era and another text named Raja Nighantu. The word “putra” in Sanskrit denotes to progeny and not male child.

He added that the medicine helps the infertile women and had nothing to do with sex determination of a child before birth. Apart from Ayurveda it is also a folk medicine used for infertility and to control recurrent abortions, Dr Ravinder added.

“It is a wild grown tree and due to shady character it is planted in the parks and gardens. City’s Rose Garden also has a couple of these trees. The tree is very beneficial and should be adopted and researched instead of making it a political target.

Another city based ayurvedacharya said it was just a political stunt and confusion was being created in the minds of the people. “The tree is an ancient tree, medicine from which is used for the treatment of infertile women. West is adopting Ayurveda and Indians, the place where Ayurveda originated, is getting involved in futile controversies instead of taking benefit from the natural resources. We are going towards costly treatment when it is available around us in nature,” he said.

On Thursday, opposition MPs led by KC Tyagi demanded a ban on the product and had sought stringent action against the manufacturer in the Rajya Sabha.