This is an archive article published on April 23, 2023
Row over ‘pregnancy test’ for marriage grant in MP; Collector says ‘miscommunication’
“During the medical examination, some brides spoke of period issues after which doctors at the site took a decision to conduct pregnancy tests on those with such complaints,” Vikas Mishra said.
Row over ‘pregnancy test’ for marriage grant in MP; Collector says ‘miscommunication’
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The Opposition Congress Sunday alleged that the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh governmentmade more than 200 women take ‘pregnancy tests’ while checking their eligibility for a scheme that provides a marriage grant of Rs 55,000 per couple. While the state government has not yet issued a statement on the matter, a local BJP leader said the women were only put through a ‘fitness test’, during which some were found to have been pregnant.
Under the scheme, the government gives Rs 49,000 to each woman eligible for the marriage scheme, and spends another Rs 6,000 per couple for arranging a mass marriage ceremony. The tests were conducted ahead of a mass marriage ceremony in a town in Dindori district Saturday.
The tests were conducted ahead of a mass marriage ceremony in a town in Dindori district Saturday. (Express)
Local MLA Omkar Singh Markam of the Congress said he received information that the women were made to take a pregnancy test. Markam told The Indian Express, “I have information that four women who could not pass this test were not given benefits under the scheme. This is a violation of their basic rights and an invasion of their privacy. I will raise this issue before the Chief Minister as well as the Prime Minister.”
“The government must clarify if there are any laws for such tests,” he said.
In a video, BJP district chief Avadh Raj Bilaiya said the tests were done to check for health issues such as sickle cell anaemia.
“Under the Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Yojana, a medical test is done to check girls’ fitness. In our district, there are many problems like sickle cell anaemia… So, generally, all kinds of tests are done… When the test was done, a few women were found pregnant and, in such a situation, we assumed they were married and we did not allow them to marry,” he said.
Under the scheme, the government gives Rs 49,000 to each woman eligible for the marriage scheme, and spends another Rs 6,000 per couple for arranging a mass marriage ceremony. (Express)
Speaking to The Indian Express, Dindori Collector Vikas Mishra said the pregnancy tests were conducted on five women who, while they were being tested for sickle cell anaemia, said they had missed their periods.
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“There is a miscommunication here. In our district, sickle cell anaemia is a major disease and there are government of India guidelines for doing blood tests. So, whenever we do such marriages, we do this test. In this case, when the tests were being done, five women said they had missed their periods. Then, the doctor did a urine test, that is, a pregnancy test, and in all five cases the test was positive, after which the women said they were already married,” he said.
While there is no bar on pregnant women availing of the scheme, Mishra said, “The rule is the woman should not be already married. Sometimes it happens that the couple are married and could not avail of the scheme, so they try to get married again to avail the benefit.”
He said the administration does not do any ‘virginity tests’ or pregnancy tests on women who want to avail the scheme. “There are no such tests done by us. The women themselves said they missed their periods.”
Jayprakash S Naidu is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently serving as the state correspondent for Chhattisgarh. With an extensive career in frontline journalism, he reports on the political, security, and humanitarian landscape of Central India.
Expertise and Experience
Specialized Conflict Reporting: Jayprakash is a leading voice on the Maoist/Naxalite conflict in the Bastar region. His reporting provides a critical, ground-level view of:
Internal Security: Tracking high-stakes encounters, surrender programs for senior Maoist leaders, and the establishment of security camps in formerly inaccessible "heartland" villages.
Tribal Rights & Displacement: Investigative reporting on the identity and land struggles of thousands of displaced tribals fleeing conflict zones for neighboring states.
Governance & Bureaucratic Analysis: He consistently monitors the evolution of Chhattisgarh as it marks 25 years of statehood, covering:
Electoral Politics: Analyzing the shift in power between the BJP and Congress and the impact of regional tribal movements.
Public Policy: Reporting on landmark infrastructure projects (e.g., mobile connectivity in remote zones) and judicial interventions, such as High Court rulings on civil and family law.
Diverse Investigative Background: Prior to his current focus on Chhattisgarh, Jayprakash held reported from Maharashtra, where he specialized in:
Crisis & Disaster Management: Notable for his extensive coverage of the Cyclone Tauktae barge tragedy (P-305) and the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on frontline personnel.
Legal & Human Rights: Investigative pieces for platforms like Article-14, focusing on police accountability and custodial deaths across India.
Environmental & Social Justice: Authoritative reporting on the Hasdeo Aranya forest protests and the approval of major tiger reserves, highlighting the tension between industrial mining and environmental preservation. ... Read More
The tests were conducted ahead of a mass marriage ceremony in a town in Dindori district Saturday. (Express)
Under the scheme, the government gives Rs 49,000 to each woman eligible for the marriage scheme, and spends another Rs 6,000 per couple for arranging a mass marriage ceremony. (Express)
