Brazilian President Bolsonaro refers to Ramayana to seek key drug from PM Modi
With Covid-19 outbreak creating additional demand for anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani said the government has kept aside 1 crore hydroxychloroquine tables to deal
PM Narendra Modi with Brazil's President Javier Bolsonaro. (File photo: Reuters)
Brazil's President Javier Bolsonaro, in his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had referred to the Ramayana and likened hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to the "holy medicine" (Sanjeevani booti) to emphasise the importance of ensuring that India supplies the drug to Brazil as the latter fights the spread of coronavirus.
"Just as Lord Hanuman brought the holy medicine from the Himalayas to save the life of Lord Rama's brother Lakshmana, and Jesus healed those who were sick and restored the sight to Bartimeu, India and Brazil will overcome the global crisis by joining forces and sharing blessings for the sake of all people," the President wrote trying to emphasise the similarity in ethos between Hinduism and Christianity.
Speaking exclusively to India Today, Brazil's envoy to India Ambassador André Aranha Correa do Lago explained the reason why there was reference to Indian mythology in President Bolsonaro's letter.
Calling both leaders "religious" and "traditional", Lago said, "President Bolsonaro is a religious man and he saw how religious was Prime Minister Modi also. So he thought it was interesting to show in his letter how two religious men with very strong traditions could find examples in their religions that were most appropriate for the case."
He added that the Brazilian President took a fascination to India when he visited New Delhi as chief guest for the Republic Day celebrations.
"As you know the President fell in love with India during his visit and since then he is very interested in all things Indian. He was fascinated also by the fact that religion is so strong and so important in India," said the envoy.
Like the US, Brazil has also requested India to release the precontracted and paid-for consignment of hydroxychloroquine which is being held in the cargos in India.
There are currently two Brazilian laboratories - EMS and Apsten -that import inputs for the production of this medicine in Brazil. Internal supply of the drug depends on the production fo these two companies. The two companies have been importing mainly from India for more than 10 years.
Ahead of the letter, the two leaders had spoken on the phone where according to Ambassador André Correa do Lago, "President Bolsonaro wanted to say in a very clear way how important it was for him, for Brazil to receive this product (HCQ) and PM Modi was extremely positive but naturally he said this was being discussed inside the government and he would soon give the answer."
As India is under complete lockdown, the Brazilian mission is also engaged in evacuating its citizens.
"We have certain number of Brazilians here when the crisis started. Some of them could leave before the last plane took off from the Delhi airport and the other airports. But, since then we have identified more than 350 Brazilians that ended up being stranded in India, in more than 20 cities," said the envoy.
It has been an uphill task for the mission and the ambassador to ensure that the citizens reach Delhi and Mumbai to fly back to Brazil, and, in that, he appreciated the support received from all wings of governments.
"...you can imagine how complex it is going to be since we have to bring them back from so many cities in very distant places in India. But, we've been receiving full support from the central government, state governments and local governments to support Brazilians in this long way to Delhi and Mumbai to be able to catch that plane", he said.
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With Covid-19 outbreak creating additional demand for anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani said the government has kept aside 1 crore hydroxychloroquine tables to deal
PM Narendra Modi with Brazil's President Javier Bolsonaro. (File photo: Reuters)
Brazil's President Javier Bolsonaro, in his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had referred to the Ramayana and likened hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to the "holy medicine" (Sanjeevani booti) to emphasise the importance of ensuring that India supplies the drug to Brazil as the latter fights the spread of coronavirus.
"Just as Lord Hanuman brought the holy medicine from the Himalayas to save the life of Lord Rama's brother Lakshmana, and Jesus healed those who were sick and restored the sight to Bartimeu, India and Brazil will overcome the global crisis by joining forces and sharing blessings for the sake of all people," the President wrote trying to emphasise the similarity in ethos between Hinduism and Christianity.
Speaking exclusively to India Today, Brazil's envoy to India Ambassador André Aranha Correa do Lago explained the reason why there was reference to Indian mythology in President Bolsonaro's letter.
Calling both leaders "religious" and "traditional", Lago said, "President Bolsonaro is a religious man and he saw how religious was Prime Minister Modi also. So he thought it was interesting to show in his letter how two religious men with very strong traditions could find examples in their religions that were most appropriate for the case."
He added that the Brazilian President took a fascination to India when he visited New Delhi as chief guest for the Republic Day celebrations.
"As you know the President fell in love with India during his visit and since then he is very interested in all things Indian. He was fascinated also by the fact that religion is so strong and so important in India," said the envoy.
Like the US, Brazil has also requested India to release the precontracted and paid-for consignment of hydroxychloroquine which is being held in the cargos in India.
There are currently two Brazilian laboratories - EMS and Apsten -that import inputs for the production of this medicine in Brazil. Internal supply of the drug depends on the production fo these two companies. The two companies have been importing mainly from India for more than 10 years.
Ahead of the letter, the two leaders had spoken on the phone where according to Ambassador André Correa do Lago, "President Bolsonaro wanted to say in a very clear way how important it was for him, for Brazil to receive this product (HCQ) and PM Modi was extremely positive but naturally he said this was being discussed inside the government and he would soon give the answer."
As India is under complete lockdown, the Brazilian mission is also engaged in evacuating its citizens.
"We have certain number of Brazilians here when the crisis started. Some of them could leave before the last plane took off from the Delhi airport and the other airports. But, since then we have identified more than 350 Brazilians that ended up being stranded in India, in more than 20 cities," said the envoy.
It has been an uphill task for the mission and the ambassador to ensure that the citizens reach Delhi and Mumbai to fly back to Brazil, and, in that, he appreciated the support received from all wings of governments.
"...you can imagine how complex it is going to be since we have to bring them back from so many cities in very distant places in India. But, we've been receiving full support from the central government, state governments and local governments to support Brazilians in this long way to Delhi and Mumbai to be able to catch that plane", he said.
ALSO READ | Will not be forgotten: Donald Trump thanks India, PM Modi for supplying hydroxychloroquine to US
ALSO READ | Vision loss to brain damage: Donald Trump's game-changer drug may leave Covid-19 patients seriously damaged
ALSO WATCH | Indian pharma companies to boost production
