Legacy of Forced Sterilisation: Unveiling Sanjay Gandhi's Role

The 1975-77 forced sterilisation drive in North India, led by Sanjay Gandhi, is scrutinized by veteran politician Karan Singh. As health minister, Singh set reasonable targets, but Gandhi escalated them, leading to compelled procedures. Singh's subsequent letters warned against coercion, resulting in his exoneration.

The controversial forced sterilisation campaign during the 1975-77 period in North India remains a critical point in the political history of the region. Spearheaded by Sanjay Gandhi, the movement saw a drastic increase in sterilisation procedures beyond the targets set by then Health Minister Karan Singh.

Karan Singh, who held the portfolio of Health and Family Planning from 1973 to 1977, recently elaborated on the ordeal during a biography launch event. Singh emphasized that he originally established modest and achievable goals for sterilisations which were later aggressively elevated by Sanjay Gandhi, viewing him as a 'rising force' in Indian politics.

Amid the rising pressures from state leaders to improve sterilisation numbers, Karan Singh maintained communication through letters warning against the use of force. These letters played a crucial role in his eventual exoneration by the Shah commission. Singh also reflected on his political success post-Emergency, attributing it to public recognition of who was responsible for the excesses during that time.