Wheather its Congress or BJP when its comes to sterlization campaign both the political parties sail in the same boat.Forced sterlization and poor medical care is responsible for lot of deaths in MP .
WHEN IT comes to population control, the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in Madhya Pradesh appears to be inspired by Sanjay Gandhi and his forced sterilisation drive.
In a grim reminder of the Emergency days, health officials in Madhya Pradesh are adopting unethical ways to meet birth control targets.
Poor and uneducated people in the state are being tricked to undergo vasectomy ( men) and tubectomy ( women).
The Chouhan government has set a target to sterilise 10 per cent of the state’s population, a health official said on condition of anonymity. “ The state has a population of 7.5 crore. The government has set a target to conduct 7.5 lakh family planning operations,” the official said.
The government denies any such plan. Health minister Mahendra Hardia said: “ No family planning targets had been set for health workers. If cases of forcible family planning come to our notice, the government will investigate the matter.” But complaints filed by many of the victims belie the minister’s claim. One such criminal complaint was lodged with the police on February 9 by Suman Bai, a 50- year- old widow from Itarsi in Hoshangabad district.
Suman, from the Dolariya Doodo village, alleged that she was lured by an Asha worker ( village health worker) to get herself registered with the Jan Sewa Runalay in Itarsi hospital and get ` 5,000 and other benefits under the state’s welfare schemes.
“ At the hospital, the authorities pressed my thumb on an authorisation form for the ( tubectomy) operation. I refused to lie down on the operation table. But there was no one to respond to my struggle,” Suman, who lost her husband six years ago, said.
In Rewa, 17- year- old Kismat Lal of Majhiyaar village was forced to lie on an operation table at the primary health centre at Semariya and vasectomised on Monday. He was admitted to hospital with high fever.
District collector S. N. Rupa said he was not aware of the incident, but added: “ How can any doctor operate without consent? The report is totally misleading.” Last week, Ramavtaar Gupta, a 35- year- old mentally challenged man, was vasectomised in Rewa.
Early this month, Rajesh Yadav, a 36- year- old daily wager, underwent underwent vasectomy at Bhopal’s J. P. Hospital after he was promised free anti- rabies vaccine for his two- year- old son Jitendra, who was bitten by a dog a month ago.
The family planning drive even claimed the life of one Rekha Anand Vasnik in Balaghat.
The Congress has alleged that the government is using inhuman and terror tactics for population control. “ They lure poor and illiterate people without telling them about the implications involved in the process. In Jabalpur, three persons, who were sterilised last year, were forced to undergo the procedure again recently. This is a human rights violation of the worst kind,” Opposition leader in the assembly Ajay Singh said.
The National Population Policy had affirmed the government’s commitment for “ voluntary and informed choice and consent of citizens” while availing reproductive health care services and had stressed “ continuation of the target- free approach in administering family planning services”.
FORCED FAMILY PLANNING DRIVE
MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has openly appreciated Sanjay Gandhi and his forced sterilisation programme during the Emergency
Chouhan courted controversy in August 2010 when he said: “ After the Emergency, the leaders abandoned population control completely. At this time one remembers Sanjay Gandhi. The programme that he started is worth appreciating”
Population growth rate in MP is among the highest in India. The state has allegedly set a target to sterilise 7.5 lakh people or 10% of the population. To meet the goal, health workers force or trick people to undergo tubectomy or vasectomy
People are promised cash incentives & freebies such as mobile phones, twowheelers, even gun licences in dacoit- hit areas, for undergoing sterilisation
National Population Policy harps on “ voluntary and informed choice and consent of citizens” and asks states to do away with the system of incentives/ disincentives for family planning.