The issue is enough to amaze many people since the name of Sanjay Gandhi and his infamous sterilization campaign that was carried out in the 70s under the auspices of draconian powers of the then administration is still remembered with lots of hesitations. But it’s not possible to slip out of the issue any longer as the highly controversial sterilization campaign has found a new admirer in Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Mr. Chouhan has a greater identity, he is a senior leader of BJP, conventional foe and major ideological contestant of Indian National Congress of the Gandhi family. On the word of Mr. Chouhan, controversial enforced sterilization program that was launched in the 70s as an effort to control high population growth in the country deserves a lot of credit till date.
What has made a foe of the yesteryear turn into a staunch admirer of the Gandhi scion is not the subject of this article. On the contrary, it’s interested to find out whether the program was beneficial at all or harmful as it is being projected on the whole. In accordance with records, Sanjay Gandhi had instituted the enforced sterilization program in the 1970s and the police and administration were asked to perform vasectomies on men and also sterilize some women by force.
It is worthwhile to mention that the program was made part of the thee Indian government's family planning project and was believed to target only men having two children and in addition. What did happen in reality was contrary to expectations. A great number of unmarried men were also purportedly sterilized so as to meet targets and this did create a strong repugnance among people to family panning for decades.
Now the question is whether the endeavor was good or bad. It ought to be noted that identical sterilization programs were also conducted during Nazi Germany or the reign of Herr Hitler to restrain growth in population and there is no doubt in it that iron grip is necessary to attain the unattainable target. But the more the cold measures can be evaded, the better it is. There is no doubt, Sanjay Gandhi was ahead of his time.
What has made a foe of the yesteryear turn into a staunch admirer of the Gandhi scion is not the subject of this article. On the contrary, it’s interested to find out whether the program was beneficial at all or harmful as it is being projected on the whole. In accordance with records, Sanjay Gandhi had instituted the enforced sterilization program in the 1970s and the police and administration were asked to perform vasectomies on men and also sterilize some women by force.
It is worthwhile to mention that the program was made part of the thee Indian government's family planning project and was believed to target only men having two children and in addition. What did happen in reality was contrary to expectations. A great number of unmarried men were also purportedly sterilized so as to meet targets and this did create a strong repugnance among people to family panning for decades.
Now the question is whether the endeavor was good or bad. It ought to be noted that identical sterilization programs were also conducted during Nazi Germany or the reign of Herr Hitler to restrain growth in population and there is no doubt in it that iron grip is necessary to attain the unattainable target. But the more the cold measures can be evaded, the better it is. There is no doubt, Sanjay Gandhi was ahead of his time.
