Trial by Test: Why to-be brides in Madhya Pradesh had to take pregnancy tests before wedding?

Back then, they had “agni pariksha,” today there are “pregnancy tests” for women. In Madhya Pradesh’s tribal-dominated Dindori, a massive row has erupted over alleged “pregnancy tests” conducted on some would-be brides at a mass wedding. The event was conducted under the Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivah/Nikah Yojana in the Gadsarai area. Let’s take a closer look at the controversy. The controversy On 22 April, over 219 couples got married under the Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Yojana. According to PTI, however, some women who attended this mass wedding ceremony to get married did not have their names on the list. The names were reportedly withheld after their pregnancy tests were positive. It should be noted here that a grant of Rs 55,000 per couple is offered by the state government under the government scheme. Out of the Rs 55,000 grant, Rs 49,000 is paid to eligible women, while Rs 6,000 is used to organise a mass wedding ceremony. One of the to-be brides, a Bachhargaon resident said that she had submitted the application form for the Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Yojana in order to get married. The Bajag Community Health Centre conducted her medical examination after she completed the form. During the physical examination, a pregnancy test was also performed. She stated that after the test was positive, her name was taken off the list of marriages that were supposed to take place under the plan, according to India Today. Another Bachhargaon resident claimed that she received no information on the medical examination. She wasn’t listed by name on the list. The woman claimed she arrived at the location of the wedding with all of the necessary preparations, but she was unable to wed. Dr Ramesh Maravi, Dindori’s Chief Medical and Health Officer, stated that “only the instructions we have received (on conducting pregnancy tests) have been followed.” Also read: Same-sex marriage: Impossible to list constitution bench matters unless time rationed, says Supreme Court The criticism The grand-old party Congress has alleged that the local administration and state government had insulted the women by conducting pregnancy tests. Omkar Markam, a former cabinet member and Congressman, called the pregnancy tests “an insult to women” and attacked them, reported Times Now. According to him, all regulations set by the government regarding the Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Yojana should be made public. Former Chief Minister Kamal Nath took to Twitter and wrote in Hindi, “I want to know from the Chief Minister whether this news is true? If this news is true, then on whose orders was this gross insult done to the daughters of Madhya Pradesh? Do the daughters of the poor and tribal communities have no dignity in the eyes of the Chief Minister? In the Shivraj government, Madhya Pradesh is already on top in the country in terms of misbehaviour with women. I demand from the Chief Minister that a fair and high-level inquiry be conducted into the entire matter and the guilty should be punished severely. This is not only a matter of pregnancy test, but also of a malicious attitude towards the entire female race.” Six applications for the marriage scheme were sent from his location, according to the sarpanch of Gram Panchayat Medni Maravi. According to him, it was improper to test women for pregnancy before marriage as part of the Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Yojana. Also read: Karnataka Election 2023: Why polls matter for BJP untangled in seven charts  ‘No directive’ A district official claimed that although there was no order from the administration for pregnancy testing, the doctors at the venue chose to medically evaluate the brides who complained of certain gynaecological problems. According to Dindori Collector Vikas Mishra, orders were given to check participants for sickle cell (anaemia) during the mass marriage celebration. Some brides mentioned period problems during medical exams, and the doctors at the location decided to test for pregnancy on those who had such concerns, according to Mishra. “There was no directive from the administration to conduct pregnancy tests. The four women who were found to be pregnant were not allowed to take part in the mass marriage,” he told PTI. Also read: Trans couple in Kerala set to welcome baby next month: How transgender men can get pregnant Politics at play Awdhraj Bilaiya, the BJP district president for Dindori, charged Omkar Markam with politicising the matter, as per India Today. He claimed that in the past, some women who attended large wedding ceremonies were found to be pregnant. “That’s why these tests are justified,” he asserted. With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News,  Trending News,  Cricket News,  Bollywood News, India News and  Entertainment News here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.