Row over for making women to undergo pregnancy tests during mass wedding in MP's Dindori

A controversy has erupted in the Dindori district of Madhya Pradesh following reports of pregnancy tests being conducted on women, who had come to tie the nuptial knot at the mass wedding event.

Dindori(Madhya Pradesh):A mass marriage scheme stirred a row after some of the would-be brides were found to be pregnant during medical tests. After the pregnancy test mandatory for marriage in Dindori in the Chief Minister's mass marriage scheme, the women have expressed their displeasure.

Speaking to the media, a woman from Gadasarai village, who applied to tie the nuptial knot in the mass marriage, said that she was living with her boyfriend for the past few months. During this, they had a physical relationship and she became pregnant but they were not allowed to get married in the mass marriage event. The couple's name was not present on the list.

Meanwhile, another woman said that what is happening here is a straight insult. She said that six women from her village were declared ineligible for marriage. The woman sarpanch said that the participants' economic condition was not good, hence, they decided to enter into wedlock at the mass event. She further stated that it is an insult to the women, if they had known about it earlier, they would not have applied.

Congress legislator Omkar Singh Markam said that the tests are insults to the poor. He further said the state government must clarify what are the guidelines or rules for such pregnancy tests. Dindori collector Vikas Mishra told the media that directives were issued during the mass marriage event for the detection of sickle cell (anaemia) among participants.

Under the 'Mukhaya Mantri Kanya Vivah Yojana', the state government provides Rs 56,000 as financial assistance to eligible couples. State Congress chief Kamal Nath demanded a high-level probe into this incident.