AIIMS doctors to observe `Black Day` on June 1 over Baba Ramdev`s comments

New Delhi: The Resident Doctors Association of AIIMS, New Delhi on Monday (May 31) announced that they would observe ‘Black Day’ on June 1 over Baba Ramdev’s recent comments targeting evidence-based medicine practitioners.

The association urged the authorities to book Ramdev under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 for trying to create public unrest against the vaccination drive and harassing healthcare services personnel.

Calling Ramdev’s remarks insensitive and insulting, the association said that it could incite violence against the healthcare services personnel and would lead to a total failure of public health systems.

“Amidst the second wave of COVID-19, our fraternity of Corona Warriors has been striving hard to save our dearest motherland against the deadly pandemic. Despite the solemn pride of selflessly working out our abilities and even gloriously making supreme sacrifices; a new insensitive and insulting controversy by Mr. Ram Kisan Yadav alias Ramdev 'Baba' has been brought in spotlight challenging and questioning the modern system of evidence-based medicine and making the joint efforts made by us all fighting the pandemic seem utterly naive and futile,” the association said in a statement.

“Such slanderous remarks by Mr. Ram Kisan Yadav will incite violence against the healthcare services personnel and would lead to a total failure of public health systems,” it added.

The association said that patient care would not be affected as they observe the ‘Black Day Protest’.

“We hereby declare 1st June 2021 to be observed as BLACK DAY PROTEST condemning the derogatory and disgraceful statements by Mr. Ram Kisan Yadav. We will ensure patient care would not be hampered in this process,” the association said.

“We also request competent authorities to take stringent action against Mr. Ram Kisan Yadav and to book him under relevant sections of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 for trying to create public unrest against the vaccination drive, harassing healthcare services personnel and preventing them from discharging their duties and creating misconceptions in common public which could cost them their dear lives,” it said.