Brazil President appeal PM Narendra Modi to export hydroxychloroquine gave example of Ramayana

Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro, written letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a letter he has given an example of Hindu epic – the Ramayana, besides Christianity’s central figure Jesus. Ask modi to export the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine, which can be used to treat coronavirus (COVID-19), patients.

Bolsonaro had asked for the supply of the drug, from India on Wednesday that is being used as a cure for the deadly virus, over a phone call with the Indian minister. The letter was written to Modi he had a conversation on phone call. Brazil has over 14,000 cases and has so far recorded 688 deaths the highest in South America.

References to both Ramayana and Christ were made against the backdrop of the rapid spread of COVID-19 across the world. India had banned the export of the drug on 26 March but after US President Donald Trump’s appeal, it allowed supplies on Tuesday.

According to media a letter which is written by President Bolsonaro“The way Lord Hanuman brought the holy medicine from the Himalayas to save the life of Lord Rama’s brother Laksmana, and also gives the example of Jesus who healed those who were sick and restored sight to Bartimeu, India, and Brazil will overcome this global crisis by joining forces and sharing blessings for the sake of all people”.

In India, the reference to the holy medicine would immediately be understood as an sign to the Sanjeevani herb, believed to have powers to heal. In Ramayana the herb is mentioned when demon king Ravana’s son Meghnada injures Lakshman, brother of the Hindu deity Rama, in a battle. Lakshman is badly injured and Hanuman is called by Rama to bring the herb from a mountain in the Himalayas. On reaching the specified mountain, Hanuman could not identify the herb and carried the whole mountain.

The reference to Jesus and Bartimeu relates to an incident narrated in the Bible’s new testament. When Jesus was leaving the town of Jericho with a large crowd, a blind man called Bartimaeus was sitting by the roadside, begging. When he heard that Jesus was passing by, he hailed him. Undeterred by rebukes from the crowd, he kept shouting for Jesus who then called the blind man to him. When asked what he wanted, Bartimaeus said he wanted his sight restored and Jesus granted him.

Besides Brazil, many countries have sought supplies of hydroxycholoroquine from India.