Condoms, contraceptives in 'wedding kit' spark row in Madhya Pradesh

Jhabua in Madhya Pradesh witnessed a mass wedding event for economically weaker sections which sparked controversy after more than 200 newlyweds received make-up boxes with condoms and contraceptive pills.

The event was held under Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivah/ Nikah Yojana.

A senior district official placed the blame on the state health department, saying their officials distributed condoms and contraceptives as part of a family planning-related awareness drive.

"We are not responsible for distributing condoms and contraceptive pills. There is no provision in the Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivah for the provision of such a kit. We have told the local administration officials to keep a check on this in future and conduct a door-to-door campaign instead of distributing condoms at a mass wedding event. This is a tribal area with a low literacy rate. People don’t have a lot of scientific temperament, so keeping that in view we will make sure this doesn’t happen again," The Indian Express reported the official saying.

The district family and welfare officer also told the publication that there was confusion at the mass wedding, and seeing so many newlyweds at the same location, they thought it was a target-rich environment.

The officer continued "We had over 200 of our own health workers who educated them on the kit. But some people could not understand… there were couples who thought this was a part of the dowry… It would take us over one month to track them all down and distribute these kits."

Usually, local ASHA workers distribute the 'nai pahal' kit to newlyweds.

Read | Maharashtra to hike aid for couples in mass marriages to Rs 25,000: CM Shinde

The kit is usually intended to impart best family planning practices and motivate newly married couples to have an age gap of up to two years after the first child is born, through "temporary family planning means." The local health department has started distributing this kit since last year.

The kit comes with condoms to last two months, daily as well as weekly contraceptive pills, and two pregnancy kits in gift boxes. Officials also added a mirror, two towels, two packets of bindis, and two handkerchiefs, along with these.

The Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivah/Nikah Yojana was launched in April 2006 by the MP government to give financial assistance to women from economically weaker sections who were getting married. The government, under this plan, also gives Rs 55,000 to the bride's family. The plan came under fire last month when some brides had to take pregnancy tests at a mass wedding in Dindori's Gadasarai.

After the 'nai pahal' distribution row, Congress hit out at Chouhan, saying "Will BJP leaders reveal to the public what they gifted their daughters after their marriage? Why is it that only when it comes to tribal people they are publicly subjected to this? Is there no right to privacy left for them? In the past as well, mass pregnancy tests were carried out in this region by the administration."

A 2022 survey by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has found that Madhya Pradesh is among seven Indian states with a very high maternal mortality rate, and it lists unsafe abortions as the third leading cause of maternal mortality in the country.