Yoga should not be patented: Ramdev

SHIMLA: Stressing that yoga was a centuries-old Indian tradition, popular yoga guru Swami Ramdev urged the government and yoga organisations to prevent it from being patented overseas.

“Since there are attempts to patent this tradition (of yoga) in America, the Indian government and yoga organisations should take measures to prevent it,” Ramdev said.

“Yoga cannot be patented as it belongs to the entire country and humanity. Also yoga cannot be run like a company,” he said late Tuesday.

“I do not wish to name any individual, but how can yoga be taught at a controlled 45 degrees centigrade temperature when it is ideally taught in the cold Himalayas,” Ramdev said, referring to Indian-born Bikram Choudhary’s method of teaching yoga. Choudhary teaches this technique in California and has even reportedly patented this method of yoga recently.

Ramdev also criticised the Indian health ministry for “turning into an allopathy ministry by promoting only allopathy and neglecting ayurveda”.

“The health ministry must sort its own health first and stop sending regular notices to me,” he said.

“Around 10 per cent of the population of India is suffering from diabetes. Yoga and ayurveda are one of the most effective ways to cure this deadly disease.”

“We have carried out studies at our centre by treating patients suffering from many kinds of cancer through yoga and ayurveda. A book is being brought out by Patanjali Yogapeet shortly as a documentary proof,” he claimed.

Ramdev is here to conduct a yoga camp from May 17 to 22.

“Later this year I plan to go to New York, New Jersey and Chicago in America besides other places in Europe, the Gulf and Africa,” he said.

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