MP education minister holds puja worshipping Lord Dhanwantari in medical schools, gets flak

The state education minister Vishvas Sarang said that the prayers were held for “good health of people” of the state and it will be held every year

Medical schools in Madhya Pradesh offered prayers to Lord Dhanwantari for the “good health of people” on the occasion of Dhanteras.

Lord Dhanwantari, who is known as ‘God of Ayurveda’ was hailed and special prayers were conducted in 10 medical colleges across Madhya Pradesh, Hindustan Times reported.

State education minister Vishvas Sarang said that the prayers were held for “good health of people” of the state and it will be held every year.

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Sarang who himself performed puja at Gandhi Medical College in Bhopal said that only by his (Lord Dhanwantari’s) blessings, one gets the boon of a healthy body.

He further said that the pujas are conducted in medical schools because it is where students are taught how to provide health benefits to people.

This event has received flak from the doctor’s community as well as the opposition party.

Oncologist Shyam Agarwal pointed out that what medical schools need are good facilities. “If they really want to do something, they should improve the health facilities that will surely please the god and also keep the people healthy, ” he said.

Dr Anurag Gupta, former president, junior doctors’ network, India Medical Association, said that such moves are an attempt to push some agenda and will increase superstition.

“Nothing will be achieved by doing this mass puja in all the medical colleges. This overlapping of spiritualism, religion and medical science will create only confusion and increase superstition,” Dr Gupta said.

Meanwhile, Congress has attacked BJP for pushing “Hindutva agenda”.

Madhya Pradesh Congress spokesperson Jitendra Mishra targeted BJP by saying the prayers should have been conducted before 2.5 lakh Covid deaths occurred in India due to lack of good health facilities.

BJP spokesperson Hitesh Bajpai said that nobody was compelled to perform the puja and it was done because they value Indian tradition.