Madhya Pradesh: ‘Distribution of contraceptives in make-up boxes’ controversy in Meghnagar

Meghnagar (Madhya Pradesh): The health department on Wednesday served show-cause notices to its two employees in connection with the distribution of condoms and contraceptive pills in make-up boxes to the newly-wed couples during a mass marriage ceremony in Thandla.

District health officer Dr AK Patel said that due to the negligence in distribution of new initiative kit in mass marriage programme, a wrong message had been sent to the society. The health department has issued show cause notices to the block community mobiliser (BCM) Kalu Singh Parmar and block extension educator (BEE) Manohar Patidar of Thandla Civil Hospital and sought clarification regarding the matter.

Earlier, on Sunday around 296 newly-wed couples and their family members were left red-faced after finding condoms and contraceptive pills in make-up boxes presented to them during Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivah/Nikaah Yojana held in Thandla village of Jhabua district.

The entire incident brought major embarrassment as the incident hogged national limelight which occurred in tribal- dominated Jhabua district. After the incident, the chief medical and health officer Dr Jaipalsingh Thakur, clarified that following government instructions, kits were made available to the couple for family planning, in which material related to it was provided. ‘We received 2k kits from the government, which were being distributed through ASHA workers. These kits have nothing to do with the Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivah/Nikaah Yojana. It was distributed by the health department. It might be possible that we failed to tell recipients not to open the kit at the event.’