Ban sex education in schools,
says Health Minister Harsh Vardhan CNN-IBN | 27-Jun-2014 08:17 AM
New Delhi: Just a couple
of days after the row over Health Minister Harsh Vadhan's remarks on fidelity
over condoms to prevent AIDS, there is another controversy now surrounding his
views on sex education. Vardhan stated on his website that sex education in
schools should be banned.
In his 'vision document'
for Delhi, Harsh Vardhan said that states must integrate value education with
course content and put strong emphasis on exposing students to India's cultural
relations. He added that Yoga education should be made compulsory.
"So-called 'sex education' to be banned. Value Education will be integrated with course content. Yoga should be made compulsory," says Vardhan in the document on his website.
The Health Minister had
earlier sparked a row when he said that fidelity was a better AIDS prevention
measure than condoms. Public health activists have accused Harsh Vardhan of
pushing the RSS agenda.
He, however, had rejected
reports that he underplayed the role of condoms in fighting AIDS but insisted
that official campaigns should focus on safe sex as a holistic concept which
includes highlighting the role of "fidelity to single partners". His
statement on informing people on the supremacy of fidelity as an AIDS
prevention measure is not only a piece of cultural advice but also a scientific
one, he had said.
"Any experienced NGO activist knows that condoms sometimes break while being used. That is why government campaigns in India, whether through the National Aids Control Organisation or the state governments, should focus on safe sex as a holistic concept which includes highlighting the role of fidelity to single partners," he had said. Vardhan, who was then in the US on an official tour, denied in a statement that he had any "moral problem" with condoms, as suggested by some media reports.
"Any experienced NGO activist knows that condoms sometimes break while being used. That is why government campaigns in India, whether through the National Aids Control Organisation or the state governments, should focus on safe sex as a holistic concept which includes highlighting the role of fidelity to single partners," he had said. Vardhan, who was then in the US on an official tour, denied in a statement that he had any "moral problem" with condoms, as suggested by some media reports.
"Through misleading
headlines, an impression is sought to be created that I have misgivings about
the efficacy of condoms or that I have a moral problem with condoms. "For
the past two decades, I have been stressing the need for safe sex using a
combination of condoms and discipline which is in line with the Abstinence-Be
Faithful-Condom (ABC) line of UNAIDS that has yielded great success in Uganda
and forms part of the anti-AIDS campaigns of several countries," he said.
"As the health minister, I find it justified to include this simple message in the communication strategy of the government's anti-AIDS programmes," he added. "Condoms promise safe sex, but the safest sex is through faithfulness to one's partner. Prevention is always better than cure," Vardhan said.
"As the health minister, I find it justified to include this simple message in the communication strategy of the government's anti-AIDS programmes," he added. "Condoms promise safe sex, but the safest sex is through faithfulness to one's partner. Prevention is always better than cure," Vardhan said.
''Why there is hue &
cry, if any, on the Health Minister’s statement is beyond comprehension. Is he
saying anything wrong when he is talking of Indian culture & self restraint
? '' S.kumar
