NEW DELHI (TIP): After suggesting that to prevent AIDS fidelity in marriage was better than use of condoms, health minister Harsh Vardhan has generated another controversy – this time by stating in his website that sexeducation in schools should be banned. In his “vision” document for Delhi schools, Vardhan, himself a doctor, has said, “So-called ‘sex education’ (should) to be banned.” His website – drharshvardhan.com – also states the need to integrate value education with course content and put strong emphasis on exposing students to India‘s cultural relations.
Vardhan couldn’t be contacted for his comments as he’s in the US. His office said this was the minister’s personal views. When contacted, Delhi BJP spokesperson Sanjay Kaul said, “The issue of banning sex education in schools has not been discussed on the party forum. We have no comment to offer.” Earlier, the health minister had created a stir by claiming the supremacy of fidelity as an AIDS prevention measure.
“Condoms promise safe sex, but the safest sex is through faithfulness to one’s partner. Prevention is always better than cure,” he was quoted as saying. Public health activists are angry with the “vision” of the doctor-turned politician. Some public health activists said that the health minister appeared to be pushing the RSS agenda.