No coercion in family planning: Prime Minister and Health Minister decry rumours
Centre Calling 11(10): 16
1976
ISSN/ISBN: 0577-1080 PMID: 12277574 Document Number: 233686
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Union Health Minister Karan Singh have declared on numerous occasions that no coercion was employed in implementing the family planning programs in the country. The Prime Minister denied that government employees were refused promotions or raises unless they accepted sterilization. She said a "harsh attitude" is necessary to underscore the importance of the family planning program, and although there may have been some overzealous workers, the complaints brought to her were baseless. The Prime Minister assured the Lok Sabha that cases of harassment will be investigated, and felt that it would be accomplished best if political parties did not take advantage of the situation and people did not take matters into their own hands. Dr. Singh has written letters to the Chief Ministers of all states asking them to make sure that coercion was not used. He felt that some "gentle and civilized pressure" might be inevitable in order to be successful in a diverse country, and that efforts to distort the program on religious grounds would be sternly met.