Yoga and Naturopathy students of Karnataka hold silent protest

As a part of an all-India protest of 42 yoga and naturopathy medical colleges, students and staff of nine Yoga and Naturopathy colleges in Karnataka held a silent protest and a day-long fast on February 12th for Yoga and Naturopathy to be included in the proposed Bill of National Commission for Indian Systems of Medicine (NCISM).

Although the Central Council of Indian Medicine and NITI Aayog has proposed its inclusion, the Ministry of AYUSH is refusing to regulate the two streams. Dr D Veerendra Hegde, Dharmadhikari, Sri Keshetra Dharmasthala is the chief patron of Indian Naturopathy and Yoga Graduates' Medical Association. Hegde is one of several noted civil society members to have written to the Prime Minister's Office in this regard.

The Association's National President, Dr Naveen Visweswaraiah, who is also the medical director of Yogaksema Clinic for Stress, Bengaluru, said, "Not including Yoga and Naturopathy systems of medicine into the NCISM is a regressive step that would destroy the future of all 42 colleges, physicians and students. Unregulated systems of medicine cannot have a standard professional education and accreditation process."

He feared that Yoga and Naturopathy graduates will not have national medical regsitration for legal clinical practice. Hence, Yoga and Naturopathy will not be on par with other Indian systems like Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Unani, Siddha and Sowa-rigpa that was newly added to NCISM.

In the past 25 years over 5,000 physicians have graduated from these colleges and are practising in India and across the world. There are over 7,000 students pursuing Yoga and Naturopathy currently.