Sambhaji Bhide’s Statement on His Mangoes Helping Couples Have Male Child Invites Case Under Anti-Sex Determination Act
Besides this controversial remark, Bhide is also accused of instigating the violence in Bhima-Koregaon Elgaar Parishad on January 1, organised by the Dalit groups.
Mumbai, July 26: The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has moved the city civil sessions court against the Hindutva-based activist Sambhaji Bhide after he failed to appear before their health panel on Tuesday. After the controversy broke out on Bhide's remark that his farm orchard helped many couples to give birth to sons, the municipal corporation served him with a show cause notice in the same context. But the activists did not show up, and hence the corporation has moved court against him under the anti-sex determination act.
The municipal corporation health official Dr Jairam Kothari was quoted as saying, “Health department of the NMC on Tuesday lodged a complaint against Shiv Pratisthan founder Manohar alias Sambhaji Bhide in the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) on charge of violating section 22 of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act."
Bhide earlier claimed that mangoes of his farms had benefitted 150 childless couples. The 82-year-old said the couples were blessed with a male child only after eating the mangoes of his farm. Following which, left-wing activists slammed him for his insensitive statement. Supriya Sule, the MP from NCP expressed her deep anguish over the remark made. As per reports, Sule said that she was pained as a mother and a woman after hearing the statement of Bhide."For any woman, attaining motherhood and giving birth to a boy or a girl is a matter of pride. It is unfortunate that a shallow debate is taking place in the society on such personal matter," she was quoted as saying.
Later, the civic body asked Bhide to submit the names of the childless couples, along with their addresses, to verify his claims. The show-cause notice, issued, also asked for a detailed explanation to prove his claim of how the mangoes blessed couples with a male child.
Besides this controversial remark, Bhide is also accused of instigating the violence in Bhima-Koregaon Elgaar Parishad on January 1, organised by the Dalit groups. The event saw clashes between Marathas and Dalits and Bhide is alleged to be the one who provoked the outbreak.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 26, 2018 01:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).