Union Minister Mahendra Nath criticises MP Govt, says 'sterilisation cannot be forced'

Union Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey on Friday criticised Madhya Pradesh government's sterilisation circular, saying that people cannot be forced to undergo sterilisation. Mahendra Nath was referring to Madhya Pradesh government's direction to all health workers to convince at least one man for sterilisation or they would lose their job as a penalty. The MP government has, however, withdrawn the directive after facing severe flak from several quarters.

"What the Madhya Pradesh government has said on the issue depends on the context and is their matter. However, the Prime Minister has left the issue of population control for people themselves. No one can be forced to go for this thing. But people should be aware of the issue of population control," the Union Minister said.

READ | BIG: Kamal Nath's MP Government Rolls Back 'sterilisation' Order After Severe Backlash

BJP corners MP government over the order

Earlier on Friday, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra compared the Congress government's sterilisation circular to the days of Emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Patra also hit out at the Congress claiming that the party often compares BJP with Nazism while Congress itself is the one acting upon it.

“This is almost akin to what we have seen during the days of emergency imposed by the Congress party when Smt. Indira Gandhi Ji was the prime minister. We had seen as to how forced sterilisation of thousands of men had been done then. Inronically, the Congress party talks of Nazism and emergency today while their own states have almost forced a state of emergency upon the people of Madhya Pradesh,” Patra told the media.

READ | BJP's Sambit Patra Connects MP Govt's Sterilisation Circular To 1975 Emergency

BJP leader Rameshwar Sharma also compared the order to that imposed by former Prime Minister Sanjay Gandhi during his term and said that CM Kamal Nath is acting as the third son of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. 

"If Kamal Nath's order is similar to that given by Sanjay Gandhi, then it can be said that Kamal Nath is working as the third son of Indira Gandhi. It will be an injustice if sterilisation is done forcefully," he said.

READ | Emergency Part-2? Shivraj Singh Chouhan Questions Kamal Nath Govt's Sterilisation Target

MP Minister attempts to cover-up

After rescinding the controversial sterilisation order, Madhya Pradesh Law Minister P C Sharma on Friday blamed an employee for mistakenly issuing the order.

The Madhya Pradesh government has transferred National Health Mission state Director Chhavi Bharadwaj who issued the order and posted Bharadwaj as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) at the state secretariat.

"I had a discussion with the health dept. Now the order has been taken back. This has been issued by the mistake of an employee. The minister of the health department will take action. It has been taken by the orders of Kamal Nath," Sharma said.

READ | MP Neta Who Praised Kamal Nath's 'vision' Blames Staff After Sterilisation Order Rollback

(With inputs from ANI)