The draft of the Kerala Womens Code,which has recommended stringent regulations for population control,including fine or jail for those working against family planning,has come under fire from Christian and Muslim organisations in the state. The two communities together constitute 43 per cent of the states population. Sensing the mood,the Congress government on Sunday made clear that the recommendations would be made law only after detailed deliberations. A major highlight of the draft,prepared by the Commission for the Rights and Welfare of Children and Women headed by former Supreme Court judge V R Krishna Iyer,is that the number of children in a family should be fixed at two. Those families having more than two should be barred from enjoying the government benefits. It said any person or social/ religious organisation engaged in campaigning against family planning and population control should be made liable to pay a fine of Rs 10,000 or undergo simple imprisonment for three months. In Kerala,the Catholic Church is vigorously campaigning against family planning and helping the laity to have more children. Couples are given post-marital counselling to increase the number of children. The draft,which was handed over to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Saturday,has suggested to facilitate safe termination of pregnancy at free of cost in all hospitals. The family planning devices and literature on birth control should be made available to couples,right from the day of their marriage. To bring down the pending disputes at family courts,the commission has recommended out of the court facilities for speedy divorce and appointment of marriage officers. The 94-page report,designed by a 12-member panel,has advocated for giving financial assistance for families which stick to regulations on marriage and birth control suggested at the Kerala Womens Code,which wants the formation of a commission for population control. It has made provision for the Governor to censure religious organisations,political parties and social outfits which campaign against family planning. Religion or any other identity should not be used for promoting bigger families,it says. The Catholic and Orthodox Churches,two dominant sections,have said they would not allow the government to accept the draft. They termed the recommendations as challenge to human values and privacy of individuals. Prominent Muslim organisations Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama and Dakshina Kerala Jamaiyyathul Ulama have warned strong agitations if the government accepted the recommendations. Reacting to the protests,Chandy said the government would consider opinions from all quarters before going ahead with the draft. During the previous Left government,Kerala Law Reforms Committee,,had made suggestions. However,the government did not go ahead with the suggestions.
