Ramdev seeks life terms for food adulterators, fake medicines makers

Mumbai, June 19 (IANS) Yoga guru and ayurveda tycoon Baba Ramdev on Wednesday called for "zero tolerance" to those found guilty of indulging in adulteration of food and manufacturing spurious medicines and demanded they be sentenced to life imprisonment.

"This is one of the most heinous forms of crime against the people. Those indulging in it must be given life imprisonment," he told media persons here.

Baba Ramdev is in Maharashtra for the International Yoga Day events on June 21 and he will head a programme in Nanded where over 150,000 people are expected to perform yoga along with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Discussing yoga, exercises, good health and nutrition, he expressed his serious concerns over adulteration of foods and spurious medicines in the country.

"I have recently heard that in China, a man was hanged to death for adulteration. I feel we should make a beginning, not with capital punishment, but at least life sentence in jail to such unscrupulous persons. The central and state governments must consider it," Ramdev said emphatically.

He said there are many instances of people getting caught doing 'milavat' (adulteration) and manufacturing 'nakli' (spurious) medicines which are harmful to the people and at times, the consequences are fatal.

On good health, he said: "Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak had said 'Swaraj Is My Birthright'. I say, 'Health is my birthright'. I consider good health as important as anything else that is good for the people."

He said he was perturbed over the increasing incidents of Indians suffering diseases like diabetes, blood pressure, obesity, stress, etc., and said yoga and ayurveda should be a party of the "journey of life".

"This is a matter of grave concern. These (diseases) are all lifestyle-related, so fitness and yoga must be incorporated in lifestyle. We especially need to make children and youth aware of the importance and benefits of yoga and ayurveda," he urged.