Stop anti women, anti poor polices in polulation control in Rajasthan, India

Mr. Ashok Gehlot,
Chief Minister Rajasthan,
Jaipur 302 005
INDIA


Sir,
As concerned individuals, we are dismayed to learn about the recent policies adopted by the Rajasthan government, towards meeting population control targets in the state. The resolution for the action plan, drafted and adopted by the Rajeev Gandhi Population Mission under your chairmanship, calls for inhuman, gender-biased and anti poor measures to accomplish
this plan.

The plan for forced sterilization and injecting contraceptives into the human body are down right invasive. They violate human rights and freedom of
choice. Such measures can endanger the lives of thousands of women who are invariably the victims in such cases. Basic health programs that should be
implemented to improve health conditions in the state, are being neglected in order to achieve this target in population control. By further increasing the pressures to meet the record number in population by 2011, the health officials are under tremendous pressure as their jobs and salaries are at stake.

The disincentive measures adopted since 1994 to discourage people from having more than two children have hurt the poor and have direct effect on the conditions of women in the state. In some cases women have been disowned by their husbands and permanently sent to their natal homes to hide the third child. The falling gender ratio (decrease in the number of baby girls) is another alarming index of how this state policy is working against women in the state.

Forced sterilizations in unhygienic and unclean health conditions, done by medical practitioners under the pressure from the state, have claimed women's lives all across India. Serious mistakes and infections kill many and render them handicapped for life. Moreover the projected benefit from this kind of population control will not work in the interest of the poor
people, already burdened by grinding poverty and whose existence and lifestyle draw minimum resources.

We demand that your government immediately scraps this population control policy, which directly violates human rights and works against the interest of the poor people in the state. We also urge you to rethink your health policies and develop strategies towards improving the lives of the poor in
the state.