When Indians were forced to undergo sterilization?
When indians were forced to undergo sterilization?In the year 1975, india was facing many economic problems. Rainfall was below average, food production had fallen, the price of imported oil had been raised, export revenues had declined, and inflation was at an all-time high. On the other hand, the political life of the then prime minister Indira gandhi was also in turmoil. The court had given its verdict against him. The result was an emergency. Emergency was declared on 25 june 1975.During this time, Indira Gandhi's younger son Sanjay gandhi became active in politics. It was Sanjay gandhi who took the lead in carrying out a sterilization campaign in the country on a large scale. Although he did not hold any official position in the government or party. His only qualification was that he was the son of the Prime Minister. At that time, only state governments could make decisions regarding family planning. But prime minister Indira gandhi changed the Constitution at the behest of her son. The 1976 amendment gave the central government the authority to run family planning programs. Soon after this, the central government prepared state-level leaders for this work and took big steps. Such as organizing sterilization camps and setting targets for sterilization.Sanjay gandhi believed that population is a big problem that is hindering the progress of the country and it is necessary to control the population for the economic development of India. He gave sterilization targets to the Chief Ministers of the states which they had to achieve by any means. The chief minister also started fulfilling his goals to please Sanjay Gandhi. district commissioners were given gold medals for their 'good work'. Due to all this, he became obsessed with achieving his goal. Maximum sterilization took place in UP and Bihar, the commissioners here won the maximum number of medals.