According to him, practitioners from other medical systems such as allopathy, Ayurveda, Unani and homoeopathy have been putting pressure on the government to not recognise electropathy as a separate system of medicine. Owing to this pressure, both the Union government and the Delhi government had taken several measures to prevent the practice of electropathy. However, the Delhi High Court has validated the practice of electropathy, at least till such time as some legislation comes into being that determines the status of electropathy, and its practice.

Therewere allegations that electropaths were indulging in quackery. In fact, the Delhi government had even proposed a ban on the practice of electropathy. However, when the matter was taken up at the Tiz Hazari Court, it was decided on November 18, 1998, that no attempts on preventing the research and development of electropathy could be made until a proper legislation to that effect is put in place.

For NEHM of India, it has been a tightrope walk all the way, despite the support extended by the judiciary. ``If a particular medical system has to be banned, action should be taken on the pharmacopoeia of that system. So far, no government has challenged us on this,'' says Awasthi.

He wonders why electropathy is being denied the opportunity to develop as a separate system of medicine, when there were no such curbs on the practice of Ayurveda or homoeopathy in India before 1970. Ayurveda gained recognition following the legislation of the Indian System of Medicine Act in 1970. Homeopathy gained recognition only in1973. ``Usually, recognition follows much after a particular system of medicine has established its efficacy. Electropathy has arrived at a stage where it can establish itself as a separate system of medicine. However, the government is not willing to recognise the development of electropathy, though it offers cures to some of the most challenging human diseases,'' says Awasthi.

Electropath medicines are prepared from the extracts of select herbal plants and is ``absolutely free of any side-effects'', says he. ``Contrary to popular belief, Ayurveda uses certain metals in the preparation of compounds. Therefore, it is not wholly herbal. Allopathy uses strong chemicals in the preparation of medicines and they do have side-effects. Electropathy is extremely safe. It delivers the essential minerals to the body from the extracts of natural sources like herbs,'' he adds.

Essentially, all electropath medicines are blood and lymph purifiers. ``They can cure even AIDS,'' says Awasthi. ``However, the government isunprepared to recognise the strident developments of electropathy,'' he adds.

Awasthy took up the issue of government recognition way back in 1988. But till date, NEHM of India is functioning on the basis of court orders, without the enabling support of the government.

In 1988, Awasthi, along with 51 MPs, met with the former prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, to seek government recognition for electropathy. Health minister Motilal Vohra then set up an enquiry committee with Awasthi as an expert member to study the feasibility of electropathy as a medical system in India.

The committee came up with a favourable report in 1991 during the Chandrasekhar government's rule. Apparently, on May 16, 1991, the then health minister, Dasai Choudhary, had even assured NEHM of India that electropathy would be given due recognition after the health department examined the facilities for the research and development of the science in the country. And on June 6 the same year, the Chandrasekhar government authorised NEHM ofIndia to take up R&D in electropathy.

However, within days, the government changed, and with it the fortunes of electropaths in the country. Subsequently, when M L Fotedar became the health minister in Narasimha Rao's government, he sent back the expert committee report ``without any valid reasons'', says Awasthi.

Awasthi then took the matter to court. On October 19, 1991, the Delhi High Court validated the expert committee report. ``However, the government has not followed the report till this day,'' says he.

``The government then threatened to take the case to the Supreme Court. But this had to be done within 90 days of the High Court order. Since the period had lapsed, the High Court order became the basis for the formal practice of electropathy in the country,'' he adds.

NEHM of India thus continues to be under the ministry of health and family welfare and has the right to grant diplomas to students from 85 institutes across the country, which offer a four-and-a-half years' Bachelor's diplomacourse in electropathy. NEHM of India also has a technical tie-up with the Dr Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, for research in medicinal plants.