Condoms in wedding kits: A political controversy erupted in Madhya Pradesh after condoms and birth control pills were found in make-up kits gifted to newly married brides under the National Health Mission (NHM). Opposition slammed the state government for gifting condoms under its Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivah/Nikah Yojana — a flagship scheme of the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government.
The controversy surfaced at the mass wedding event of 296 couples in Thandla block of the tribal-dominated Jhabua district on Monday. As the couples unwrapped the make-up boxes/kits gifted to them, they found packets of condoms and birth-control pills inside. The visuals of the event have gone viral on social media.
Opposition calls government ‘shameless’
The incident gave fresh ammo to the opposition Congress to attack the government in the assembly poll year. “It shows the BJP government has crossed all limits of shamelessness. It’s perhaps the first time in MP that such a dirty joke has been played with brides,” said state Congress spokesperson Sangita Sharma.
BJP spokesperson Neha Bagga tried to clear the air. “The kits are being distributed as part of new guidelines of the National Health Mission. Congress needs to make it clear whether it is against educating newly-wed couples about family planning.”
The in-charge chief executive officer (CEO) of Thandla Nagar Palika Parishad, Bhoor Singh Rawat, said: “We don’t have to do anything with the distribution of the gifts; these are possibly gifted by the health department out of their family planning promotional efforts.”
Girls undergo pregnancy test
Last month also, a row was triggered in another tribal-dominated district Dindori. Young girls enrolled in the marriage scheme had to allegedly undergo pregnancy tests.
The scheme was launched in 2006. The local urban body directly credits `49,000 into the accounts of each newly wed bride while the rest `6,000 is used to fund the food and other marriage ceremony-related expenses.
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