Lokayutka tells AP not to sponsor fish medicine for asthma

  Calling the famous 'fish medicine' for asthma administered by Bathini Harinath Goud and his associates in Hyderabad as simple and blind faith, Andhra Pradesh Lokayukta directed the state government not to sponsor it in any way.

The annual 'fish prasadam' distribution event, where patients throng from across the country, is scheduled here on June 8 and 9.
Achyutha Rao, President of Balala Hakkula Sangham, had filed a complaint, questioning the assistance extended by the government to Goud family for the event.
In his order, Lokayukta Justice B Subhashan Reddy said, Neither there is any law made by any legislative body nor is there subordinate legislation and the government on its own without any legal sanction cannot sponsor any event like the instant one.
It is clear from the verdicts of both the High Court and the Civil Court that there is no public purpose in conducting the fish prasadam meetings, and it is the simple and blind belief of the people gathering at a place with the fond hope that the fish with some unknown substance thrust into their mouths cures asthma or prevents onset of the same.
At best such beliefs are only superstitious as it is held authoritatively both by the High Court and Civil Court that there is no scientific proof about the asthma curing substance being administered by Bathini Harinath Goud, Lokayukta said.
It is not understandable as to why Andhra Pradesh government has taken upon itself to sponsor the fish medicine meetings...involving so many departments of the government and spending lots of amount...which amounts to state sponsoring superstition, the order said, directing the government to refrain from doing so in future.
The complainant had also said that administration of the 'fish prasadam' is violation of child rights.
But whether Goud can be restrained from holding the event, the Lokayukta said, As of now, there is no law restraining or restricting the kind of exercise being made by Bathini Harinatha Goud. So long as people have got faith in the substance being administered by Bathini Harinath Goud, the show goes on. But it cannot be as an agent of the government.
The Lokayukta further directed the Hyderabad District Collector to recover Rs 2.69 lakh from the organisers, spent by the government for organisation of the event at Exhibition Grounds here and said government would not offer any concession or help from the next year.
PTI