Rajasthan denies report of 'Gayatri Mantra' being played in labour rooms of hospitals

Jaipur, May 16: Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma on Thursday denied reports that claimed Gayatri Mantra is mandatory to be played in labour rooms of medical centres.

He told news agency ANI, ''It's a rumour. This issue came to my notice earlier too and I have directed officials that no such decision has been taken by the government.''

He also said the state's health department will not recommend playing the Gayatri Mantra as an official policy.

Maternity wards in Rajasthan have become the subject of a controversy after a state directive to play soothing sounds in delivery rooms turned into a local district using the Gayatri Mantra.

Reports surfaced that the government health centres in Rajasthan have been playing Gayatri Mantra in labour rooms, saying it gives relief to woman during labour pain. Meanwhile, a group of Muslims have objected to the development, terming it against Islam. They said that a Muslim newborn should be listening to Azaan as their first sound and not the Gayatri Mantra.