The Hindu : Front Page : Row over ‘virginity tests’ in M.P.

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Tuesday, Jul 14, 2009
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Row over ‘virginity tests’ in M.P.

Bhopal/New Delhi: Subjecting girls to alleged virginity tests during a State-sponsored mass marriage in Madhya Pradesh last month evoked a strong condemnation from non-BJP parties on Monday even as Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan denied such tests were carried out.

The issue of the tests, which tribal girls had to allegedly undergo to be eligible for a special scheme, were also raised in the Rajya Sabha where the Congress and the BJP clashed.

In New Delhi, Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal described such tests as shameful, an insult to women and a throwback to the 18th century.

Mr. Chouhan said the tests were carried out on June 26 when 151 girls were to be married under the ‘Mukhya Mantri Kanyadan Yojana’ in Shadol, 600 km east of Bhopal. It was not a “virginity test,” just a “procedural medical examination,” he said.

“The lady doctor asked only a few questions from the girls,” Mr. Chouhan said in Bhopal.

The Chief Minister was backed by Shahdol Collector Neeraj Dubey who said, “It is absolutely wrong to say that virginity tests were conducted on the women who were married under the scheme.”

The Collector, however, admitted that some clinical tests were conducted on the beneficiaries of the scheme to find out whether the brides were pregnant or not.

Congress MP Santosh Bagrodia described the incident as “demeaning” and an “injustice to women” while CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat said it was an attack on the dignity and self-esteem of those girls getting married under the scheme.

National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Girija Vyas said it has taken suo motu cognizance of the matter and sought an interim report from the MP government. A committee has also been formed to look into the reports, she said in New Delhi.

Mr. Dubey said the clinical tests carried out were to ensure that the women were not married earlier and also to avoid unnecessary problems.

He said around 15 women were not allowed to take part in the weddings as they were found to be pregnant.

In New Delhi, Congress MP Santosh Bagrodia told reporters that physical tests on girls by any government agency engaged in mass marriage was very wrong. “It’s an attack on the dignity and self-esteem of those girls,” he said.

Raising the issue during zero hour in the Rajya Sabha, Mr. Bagrodia said it was unfortunate that the girls were asked to “test for virginity” before their marriage amidst cries of “shame, shame” from his party colleagues. He demanded that the Centre enquire into the incident.

Several BJP members objected to the issue being raised in the House based on newspaper reports despite the denial by the State government. BJP leader Najma Heptulla said no such incident had taken place. “The Chief Minister has denied that any such incident took place. The Deputy Collector had also given a report saying nothing of this sort happened,” she said. — PTI

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