I just came across an article praising Nepali Bhansar for the very first time.

http://www.paramuspost.com/article.php/20071024162710875/print

NEPAL SAYS "CHYAVANPRASH IS NOT AYURVEDIC ; IT’S A LUXURY ITEM"

In an intelligently surprising move, the Nepalese government has removed this junk medicine and pseudo health tonic ( Chyavanprash ) from the list of Ayurvedic drugs, and has also slapped value-added tax (VAT) on it. Through the country’s recent budget the Nepalese Finance Minister, Ram Sharan Mahat, has branded Chyavanprash, manufactured in Nepal by major companies as well as individual Ayurvedic practitioners, as a LUXURY ITEM that will now carry 13 % VAT. In addition, Indian manufacturers like Dabur Nepal, Baidyanath and Zandu, etc., may also have to pay increased customs duty. Now since Chyavanprash is no longer considered an Ayurvedic product in Nepal, its harmonic code---the international code that fixes the status of a product worldwide--is also being changed. It means Chyavanprash will now come under the category of higher customs duty products as well. Manufacturers fear an overall additional tax burden of around 20 percent, including 13 percent VAT. The Nepal government’s hard but just action came after Nepal's largest exporter, Dabur Nepal, went to the Supreme Court, questioning a decision by the department of taxation to impose VAT on Dabur Chyavanparesh alone, especially as the product had received a certificate from Nepal's Department of Drugs Administration (DDA), recognizing the ‘tonic’ as an Ayurvedic drug. As per the website---IndiasNews.com---various brands of Chyavanprash collectively have a market value of Nepali Rs. 200-250 million in Nepal. Dabur Nepal leads with over 30 percent of the sales. If Dabur Chyavanprash is subjected to VAT, Dabur Nepal will ask DDA to de-recognize it as an Ayurvedic drug because recognized drug manufacturers have to fulfill various extra formalities. Even their advertisements are subject to approval by the DDA. 




NEPAL REJECTS EMAMI LTD’S CLAIM OF ANY BENEFIT TO HUMAN BODY DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF GOLD AND SILVER METALS IN CHYAVANPRASH 

The author of this article is astonished to observe a great degree of difference between the work culture, morality, and honesty of the drug authorities of a tiny neighboring country, Nepal, in comparison to those of his own vast country, viz., India. Whereas the Indian Drug authorities are not only allowing but rather promoting the sale of a bogus, non-sensical, and dangerous Ayurvedic medicine like Himani Sona Chandi Chyavanprash in the country, but in Nepal, that Government does not permit the import or sale of this medicine in its territory. As a matter of proof, one can go through a news item titled “DRUG DEPARTMENT TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST THREE IMPORTERS” that appeared in the daily---The Rising Nepal / Gorkha Patra---on December 30th, 2003. As per this news item, the authorities of the Department of Drug Administration ( DDA ) of Nepal, on December 29th, 2003, raided the premises of three illegal and unauthorized importers and distributors of Himani Sona Chandi Chyavanprash in Kathmandu. They seized 5800 packs of Himani Sona Chandi Chyavanprash from there, and booked cases under Nepal’s Drug Act 2035 and 2057. Under this Act, if found guilty each importer can be sentenced to five years’ imprisonment with a fine of Rs. 25000 /= each. Speaking on this matter, the drug inspector of Kathmandu, Mr. Babu Humagain, had said that the message incorporated in the advertisement about Himani Sona Chandi Chayavanprash claiming that “the dug is a magnificent mixture of gold and silver that helps a person regain health in 14 days through physical and mental development” was against the spirit of his country’s laws. Thus, the most unscientific, false, baseless, and quackery-filled slogan : “SONA DE SURAKSHIT TAN AUR CHANDI DE TEJ DIMAAG” ( viz. : “Gold gives protection to the body, and silver creates sharp brain” ), created by the ‘scientists’ of Emami Ltd., has been officially condemned and rejected by the Nepal Government. But the Govt. of India mindlessly continues to accept it, why ? There is a vast fraternity of scientists on the payroll of Indian Govt. ; are they all sleeping ? Don’t they have a mind of their own. Why don’t they think that a quack company is marketing an absolutely unscientific and unacceptable product with a laughter-creating and deceptive slogan about the health benefits of the insoluble gold and silver metals.

Is this true? Is Chayawanprash bad for health because of too much sugar?