Rally against sex education in schools

Mumbai, Apr 24 (UNI) Several associations based in the city today took out a rally to Vidhan Bhavan, protesting the Maharashtra government's move to introduce sex education in schools from class nine.

On Tuesday, state Education Minister Vasant Phurkhe announced the decision in the Legislative Council. Yesterday, the move was opposed by MLAs of all parties, forcing the Speaker to put the subject on hold.

Some 30-40 people, including school and college students, first staged protests at Azad Maidan in South Mumbai, where they shouted slogans against the government. Later, they took out a rally to Vidhan Bhavan, demanding the cancellation of sex education in schools.

Convenor, Pratibha Naithani, crusader against pornography in films and media and a college professor, said ''The syllabus is nothing but about having protected sex using contraception which is not the right attitude. It would be wrong to impart sex education to the students on these lines.'' She said ''We are simply aping the West in this regard and by imparting sex education will harm the students' growth, rather than benefitting them.'' Mr Gaurang Vora, president of Flank Road Residents Forum in Matunga and coordinator, said ''The decision is wrong and against the Indian culture. It has not benefitted school students in any way. We should not ape the west blindly.'' UNI JN SSS AKJ BST1857