A government directive for sterilising people in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh had to be withdrawn after it stoked controversy and raised objections from the local opposition political party BJP. The order had warned of salary cuts and compulsory retirement of the concerned department's staff for failing to abide by it.
The Congress party-led state government of Madhya Pradesh withdrew the order, saying it "was cancelled the moment it came to the Chief Minister's notice".
Madhya Pradesh Health Minister Tulsi Silawat in a clarification said: “No one will be forced to be sterilised and no one will lose their jobs. We are just spreading awareness. I will not let anything happen which can hurt the people of the state."
The government's directive had asked the authorities concerned to identify male employees with zero output and apply the "no work - no pay" principle if each of them couldn't get at least one man for sterilisation in the 2019-20 period, ending March.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, which is now in opposition in the State, slammed the move to sterilise people, saying it was a reminder of the “Emergency Days of 1975” imposed by the then federally ruling Congress government. During that time, many people were forced to undergo sterilisation.
