The Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government in Madhya Pradesh is facing brickbats after pregnancy tests of would-be brides were carried out before a government-sponsored mass marriage function under the ‘Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Yojana’ in tribal dominated Dindori district on 22 April.

MP Congress president and former chief minister Kamal Nath launched a scathing attack on Chouhan calling it a matter of grave concern that exposed the BJP government’s real attitude. He asked whether the poor and tribal daughters had no dignity in the eyes of the chief minister.

Kamal Nath demanded to know on whose orders such a shameful act was carried out. He also demanded a high-level inquiry into the matter saying this was a matter of not just pregnancy tests but of malicious and mischievous behavior towards women and girls.

The matter came to light after at least five of the girls who had registered to get married at the function were declared disqualified, after their pregnancy tests were carried out and the test reports came positive.

The mass marriages under the ‘Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Yojana’ were organized at village Gadasarai in Dindori district on 22 April to mark the festival of Akshay Tritiya. Around 224 marriages were to be carried out, but five girls were disqualified on grounds of being pregnant and consequently 219 weddings took place.

Local tribal Congress MLA Omkar Singh Markam alleged that carrying out pregnancy tests was an insult to the girls of the region. He demanded that the BJP government must make it public if there is any rule for pregnancy tests of girls who want to get married in the ‘Mukyamantri Kanyadan Yojana’.

According to sources, some of the disqualified girls also asked the administrative authorities and the government if there is any rule that pregnant girls cannot get married.

District Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr Ramesh Marawi said they had received directives “from above” to compulsorily carry out pregnancy tests of all girls who had registered to get married in the mass wedding function under ‘Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Yojana’.

Some media reports cited Dindori Collector Vikas Mishra saying that the five girls were disqualified, as they were already married.