India’s burgeoning population has long been a cause for concern. Since 1951, the country has been grappling with methods to curb population growth, with forced sterilization emerging as a contentious strategy. However, it was during the emergency period in the 1970s that forced sterilization became a significant political issue.
The Emergency Period and Forced Sterilization
During the emergency declared in 1975, millions of men were forcibly sterilized. It is said that Sanjay Gandhi, the son of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, aggressively pushed forward this campaign. The most vulnerable were the poor populations targeted.
It was a time when entire villages were cordoned off by the police, and men were coerced into undergoing sterilization procedures. According to reports, nearly 6.2 million people were sterilized within a year, leading to the deaths of around 2,000 innocents due to botched operations.
Understanding Sterilization
Sterilization involves permanently halting reproductive capacity, rendering individuals incapable of conceiving. For men, this entails cutting or blocking the vas deferens, the tube that carries sperm from the testicles. In women, it involves cutting or blocking the fallopian tubes, which transport eggs from the ovaries to the uterus. Importantly, female sterilization does not affect menstruation or hormone levels.
Rationale Behind the Campaign
In 1951, India’s population stood at approximately 361 million. The decade between 1941 and 1951 saw an annual population growth rate of 1.26%. Based on these figures, renowned demographer A.R. Gopalan predicted that India’s population would increase by 5 million every year.
Accepting Gopalan’s report, the Indian government initiated the National Family Planning Program, making India the first country globally to do so. The campaign aimed to raise awareness about family planning, incentivizing families to have no more than two children with a minimum two-year gap between them. However, the government’s efforts fell short.
Sterilization as a Solution
Gopalan’s report also suggested widespread sterilization as a solution to population control. Unlike other methods, sterilization required minimal medical intervention, dispelling fears associated with surgery. Nevertheless, garnering support for sterilization proved challenging due to prevalent misconceptions. Many believed that male sterilization could lead to death or reduced virility, while female sterilization could negatively impact menstruation or hormone levels.
Political and Financial Backing
During 1972-1980, the World Bank extended a loan of $6.6 billion to the Indian government for sterilization efforts. Pressure from Western nations mounted on Indira Gandhi to accelerate sterilization efforts to control India’s population.
Despite the financial and political support, the coercive nature of the sterilization drives during the emergency era tarnished its reputation. The tragic consequences, coupled with ethical concerns, led to a reevaluation of population control strategies in India.