Panaji, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH, Shripad Naik last week accepted a representation made by Goa-based teacher Mahesh Degvekar suggesting a possible ayurvedic cure for Covid-19, but the AYUSH Ministry was not validating the "cure", the Ministry said.

The AYUSH Ministry noted in a statement, "The said individual did have an interaction with the Hon'ble AYUSH Minister in Goa on the subject. The former had given a representation to the Hon'ble Minister, which he accepted (as a public representative) for appropriate disposal."

The report that the AYUSH Ministry is validating the said "cure" is false, the statement noted.

Last week Degvekar, a 55-year-old teacher based in North Goa district, had claimed that he was presented with an ayurvedic formula for curing Covid-19 in an apparition by Gajanan Maharaj, a 19th century Hindu guru.