Space programme
It is important that the Indian astronaut-designates remain focused as it is easy to get carried away by fame and stardom. Political propaganda must be kept at bay. Undoubtedly, it is the support of the government which is important in this mission, but there is a need to keep such projects politically neutral and let ISRO take the lead.
Kirti Wadhawan,
Kanpur
Court’s contempt notice
It is gratifying that the Supreme Court of India has issued a contempt notice against Patanjali Ayurved (Inside pages, “Supreme Court issues contempt notice to Patanjali, MD Balkrishna”, February 28). There are many allegations of the firm violating, with impunity, the Drugs and Magical Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act. Inaction by the Union and some State governments so far has only lent credence to rumours of the company’s alleged political clout. It is hoped that the top court will take the case to its logical conclusion as there has been the dissemination of misleading information on health, disease and treatments.
Kurian Mathew,
Kochi
The Court’s mention of the company’s advertisements needs comment. The advertisements are only symptomatic of a deeper malaise plaguing the official approach to Ayurveda. Knowledge systems that do not undergo timely evidence-informed revisions tend to become surreal in assuming their possibilities. This surreality then gets misused as a lucrative commercial proposition by interested parties. The problem can be tackled only if the AYUSH Ministry takes quick steps to overhaul Ayurveda by making its theories and practices as evidence-informed as possible. Till such time this happens, Ayurveda will continue to be misused as a business proposition or abused as a pseudoscience by denigrators.
Dr. G.L. Krishna,
Bengaluru
