JD(U) demands strong action against the guilty in sterilization death

New Delhi, Nov 13: Janata Dal (United) demanded strong action against those responsible for the deaths in sterilization camp in Chhattisgarh and said the state government should take moral responsibility of the incident.

"Strong action should be taken against all those responsible for the deaths at the sterilization camp, they should be tried on murder charges," JD(U) president Sharad Yadav said here.

A total of 13 women died and several others were admitted to the hospital in critical condition recently after a state-run sterilization campaign in Chhattisgarh. Sterilization is the most popular form of birth control measure among women in India. Yadav said the incident has caused a serious setback to the much need birth control programmes in the country.

"There is an urgent need for containing population boom in the country but this type of birth control measures would prove to be a serious setback to the programme," he said, adding that this would create a fear psychosis in the mind of poor people.

Asked to comment on Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi dubbing upper caste people as "foreigners and descendants of Aryan race", JD(U) leader said "those who are occupying constitutional post should speak responsibly." On Maharashtra government, Yadav said now BJP is shying away from being seen together with NCP though both parties are very much close with one another.

He also did not support the PDP leader's statement of not voting for parties which will impose a Hindu Chief Minister in Jammu and Kashmir.

A PDP MLA has said in an election meeting that people should not vote for parties which plan to install a Hindu chief minister in state. "This kind of statement should be condemned. It has been condemned by PDP itself also," he said adding "I will campaign for Mufti Mohammad Sayeed."

Asked whether he will be attending Congress-organised Nehru birth anniversary event, Yadav gave a cryptic reply. "I have received the invitation."

PTI