Controversy [edit] Minimum Wage In March 2005, about 113 workers employed by the Divya Yog Mandir Trust, Kankhal, Haridwar, owned by Ramdev, started an agitation for minimum wages and for coverage under the Provident Fund and Employees' State Insurance schemes. At a tripartite meeting, an agreement was reached between the workers, management and the district administration. But, some agitating workers were dismissed by the Trust after being charged for alleged sabotage. Their case was taken up by a trade union controlled by Communist Party of India (Marxist); they are yet to be reinstated.[6][7] [edit] Allegations of unhealthful Manufacturing Practices Building on the labour demands, New Delhi based Brinda Karat, aCPI(M) leader and wife of CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat, called a press conference alleging unhealthful manufacturing practices in the pharmaceutical company. She also accused the pharmacy of using animal and human parts in the manufacture of their ayurvedic medicines. Though ayurvedic texts allow the uses of such substances in the manufacture of some of the ayurvedic medicines, this violated, according to Brinda Karat, the laws related to proper labeling of medicines. [citation needed] [edit] Use of Bones in Medicines The controversy reached a flash-point in January 2006 when Brinda Karat produced an Indian health ministry laboratory report that she claimed found that Divya Yog Pharmacy, owned by Ramdev, was using human and animal bones in his medicines. She also claimed that a sample of the medicine (Kuliya Bhasm and Yauvanamrit Bati, purchased from Brahmakalp Chikitsalay, which is the Trust's hospital at Haridwar) was tested at government labs which later confirmed the presence of animal materials in the sample. She exhibited the prescription and cash receipt obtained from the medicine counter in support of her claim.1 [edit] Rebuttals The charges were denied by Ramdev and his followers who accused Brinda Karat and the CPI(M) of being agents of multinational pharmaceutical companies. Four samples sent to the government-recognized research center (Shriram Institute of Industrial Research, Delhi) were reported as indicating that the medicines contained no objectionable ingredients and were purely herbal. Uttarakhand state Health Minister Tilak Raj Behad announced this to BBC in March 2006[8]. This refuted Karat's claims that Ramdev was part of any wrongdoing. Ancient Ayurvedic texts do, at times, proscribe the use of animal materials. Many Indian right wing politicians like Sharad Pawar, Mulayam Singh Yadav, and Ambika Soni came out in support of Ramdev's promoting Yoga and Ayurveda.[9]. The BJP said that they were "fully with yoga guru Swami Ramdev"[10]. [edit] Comments on Mahatma Gandhi Swamiji commented in Jabalpur, where he was imparting yoga training to Army personnel, "See, I am a follower of penance, sacrifice, non-violence and truth. But I am also a follower of revolutionaries. I live a simple life. I don't do what everyone else does. But I believe that the freedom of our country is because of the sacrifice of martyrs". "If somebody says that the country achieved independence without arms, without bloodshed, I believe that is an insult to the country's martyrs". These statements sparked a rage in Gandhi's followers, mainly activists of the Congress Party. They charged Ramdev with insulting the Father of the Nation. Youth workers of the Congress burnt posters of Ramdev and shouted slogans against him.[11] [edit] Claims of curing AIDS and cancer and confrontation with Health Ministry Press reports in December 2006 created further controversy by stating that Ramdev had made claims that Yoga could cure AIDS. Ramdev responded by saying that these reports were misrepresenting him.[12] His position was that Yoga and Ayurveda together can alleviate the suffering from AIDS, not cure it.[13] Other press reports state that he has claimed that cancer of the breast, liver, prostate, uterus, pituitary gland, brain tumours and leukaemia, could be cured by practicing the seven breathing exercises and that he had documented proof of his successes.[14] Ramdev has not denied the allegaton by critcs that setting up of several million dollars worth export business and claims of miracle powers is done with the support of 'selected admirers' from whose statements he himself has distanced now in order to escape from legal actions. A website promoting his products states that the CD-4 cell count in some AIDS patients has improved after practising Yoga.[15] This statement was translated by certain journalists as stating that "Swami Ramdev claims cure for AIDS".[16] As a consequence of these press reports he was sent a notice by the Union Health Ministry and threatened legal action from medical NGOs.[17] In response to the cease and desist order from the Health Ministry, he categorically denied that he had made any such claims and said that yogic education was more preferable than sex education in response to the AIDS crisis. "Sex education in schools need to be replaced by yoga education. The government should stop polluting the minds of innocent young children with sex education. Society's morality cannot improve with teaching sex education in schools. And AIDS cannot be prevented by talking free sex and by using condoms."[18]