The Politics Around Anandaiah’s Ayurvedic Medicine

The political tussle between the ruling and opposition leaders has put brakes to supply of Krishnapatnam concoction against Covid-19 formulated by Bonigi Anandaiah. Earlier, he announced that the herbal mixture would be supplied from Monday (June 7) but now, said he would announce the next date for releasing the medicine as there were some hurdles in procuring the herbs.

A website designed to facilitate online supply of the ‘magical mixture’ triggered a war of words between TDP politburo member Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy and YCP Sarvepalli MLA Kakani Goavardhan Reddy and it is being suspected if this issue had impaired the manufacture and supply of the Covid herbal mixture. On the other hand, it is being said that the distribution of the mixture has been stalled as people coming to collect the concoction were not following the Covid protocols, which could lead to spread of the infection.

‘Kakani planned to mint money from mixture’: Somireddy

The controversial website mentioned that price of each of P, L and F categorised drugs as Rs 15 each but that Rs 167 would be collected from the patients. All these concoctions were given clearance by the High Court, AYUSH department and even the state government.

Somireddy alleged that the online platform was designed by Kakani’s men to mint money out of the herbal potion which Anandaiah and his son have been time again proclaiming to provide free of cost. Furiated with the allegations, Kakani challenged the TDP seinor leader to come for a debate with all the evidences to prove it. Else, he said he would file a case against Somireddy for trying to defame him and make a mountain out of a mole hill.

Kakani made it clear that he need not depend on the concoction to earn money as he has sufficient businesses to get his income. He also said that he was ready for a probe into the Somireddy’s allegations by any agency.

Soon as the news of online sale of the concoction was out, Anandaiah’s son released a video saying they had no intention to sell their medicine and that they had not given permission to anyone to design an internet website for its distribution.

It was found that the online platform to distribute Anandaiah’s anti-Covid herbal concoction was designed by Sesritha Technology India Pvt. Ltd. Responding to the ruckus over the issue, Sesritha managing director Narmad Reddy said that he took up the initiative by himself without consulting Anandaiah. He said that he met Kakani who directed him to visit the collector and proceed with his endeavour. He said that he started the initiative to do some social service and was ready to give the application free of cost to either the government or Anandaiah.

Social cause

Narmad Reddy claimed that he had no connection with any party but that he was a fan of late YSR. He said that he took up designing the web portal only to give publicity to Anandaiah’s potion as it can do good to lakhs of Covid patients, as it did with a couple of his acquaintances.

He also said that somebody hijacked their website which was still under development and made it public. Regarding the pricing of the free medicine, he said that they were just quoting some figures during the test mode and that they even were integrating the website with GPS to procure herbs necessary for preparation of the concoction. Simultaneously, the application will also help in delivering the concoction to those in need.

Somireddy alleged that it was with an intention to get political mileage and make money that the pictures of Jagan Mohan Reddy, Kakani, health minister Alla Nani and minister Mekapati Gautam Reddy were put up on the website, apart from smearing YCP party colours and party symbol on the home page. To this, Narmada Reddy said that he put up the pictures only because they held constitutional positions in the state but that he was not instructed by anyone to do so. At the same time, he said that he was not a supporter of Kakani.

Narmad Reddy fumed at Somireddy for levelling false allegations against him, his firm and not behaving like a matured politician despite serving as a minister in the past. How can he term me as a fraudster and file cybercrime case against me, he asked.

There are apprehensions that though the website was started with a noble initiative, there could be people who can misuse it by buying more doses and sell them in the black market. Narmada Reddy said they were taking all steps to check such misdeeds. The app has not be launched nor has any product been sold on it, he said.

‘No support from government’

At the same time, Anandaiah and his team also differ in their versions. Anandaiah fumed at TD leader Somireddy for unnecessarily raising allegations against Kakani and politicising it. He also filed a petition in the court stating that there was political pressure on him to reveal the formula of the ayurvedic mixture.

Anandaiah’s brother Sampath Yadav slammed Narmada Reddy for not consulting their family but designing the app to sell the concoction prepared by them. By pricing the concoction on the website, there is a chance for Anandaiah to lose his credibility, he pointed out.

Sampath also took exception to Narmad Reddy not displaying minister Anil Kumar Yadav’s picture on the website even when he had relationship with Anandaiah.

He also said that though politicians have been giving assurances to them at the personal level, there was no support from the government at all. The government is least bothered about the manufacture and distribution of our concoction, he said. The collector of our district said he cannot provide the herbs or financial aid to us to prepare the herbal potion, he added.

TD leader Pattabhi took exception to this attitude of the government. He said that when there were no complaints against the concoction, the government should take steps to distribute it on the lines of fish medicine done in Hyderabad every year.

Anandaiah’s anti-Covid concoction has been hogging the limelight for the last one month with a retired headmaster Kotaiah claiming that he has been cured of Covid-19 within minutes after a miracle ayurvedic potion was administered on his eyes, saying that his oxygen levels improved.