IMA trying to 'decriminalise' sex determination: Activists

Girl child activists on Monday accused the Indian Medical Association (IMA) of trying to "decriminalise" sex determination through its 'Dilli Chalo' protest here on Tuesday.

Activist Neelam Singh, member of National Monitoring and Inspection Committee (NMIC) of the PC-PNDT Act, said the IMA was trying to turn sex determination into a civil offence, rather than a criminal offence which it is today.

"Foetal sex determination is a criminal offence in India according to PC-PNDT Act (Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act)," said Singh.

Singh said IMA is trying to make sex determination into a civil offence by stating that there can be clerical errors on the part of doctors.

"If identified by test that it is a female then the foetus is killed. Then how can it not be a criminal offence?" she asked.

IMA president K.K. Aggarwal said that Dilli Chalo protest is to fight against rising cases of "criminal prosecution and conviction of doctors" in alleged cases of "clerical and administrative errors".

Aggarwal denied allegations of trying to decriminalise sex determination. "What they are saying is wrong," he said, and added that the license of any doctor who does sex determination should be cancelled.

A 2016 Supreme Court order clearly states that there should be stringent implementation of the Act, said Sudha Sundaraman, General Secretary of All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA).

She said that a female foetus doesn't have a voice of its own and "There should be no dilution or amendment of the Act."

Smita Khanijow, member of Delhi supervisory board of PC-PNDT, said: "It's surprising that we have to come together to say this. Doctors should be a part of this and more responsible."

She said that already the conviction rate for sex determination is extremely low and diluting the Act would be disastrous.

"The unborn child is defenceless and sex determination is profiting through a crime," Satish Agnihotri, former Secretary of Women and Child Department, Odisha said.

He added that sex ratio is increasing in Maharashtra, Haryana and Rajasthan, states where the implementation of the Act is stringent.

"I've inspected a clinic were they had names and bank account details of ASHA workers and a worker told me that she transfers money to ASHA workers for bringing women to do sex determination," Singh said.

In Delhi, there has only been seven convictions after the Act was passed in 2003 and even a doctor who was caught doing sex determination on TV was let off, said Bijayalaxmi Nanda, a professor at Delhi University.

She added that Prime Minister's 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' is rooted on the PC-PNDT Act and urged that the Act should not be watered down under any circumstances.

Sabu M. George, a girl child activist, said they had to put up a fight to pass the Act in 2003 and alleged that attempts to amend the Act by IMA has political backing.

--IANS

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