Wednesday 21 March 2007

Moral Policing



A few weeks back I was was faced with the unfortunate situation of attending the funeral of a girl (V) whom I have known for a very long time.

This was the second funeral I attended where the cause of death was AIDS.
Though , V was suffering for a prolonged period , her death was such a big blow to everyone.

Her father has been working with our family for almost a quater of a century and V used to visit our place frequently when she was young.
She was married eight years ago to a fruit seller , who concealed the fact that he had AIDS and within a year they had a child that passed away when six months old (paediatricians diagnosed it as digestive-disorder ! ) and obviously V was infected.
Two years after the child died it was the unscrupulous rascal's turn to go.

V was cared by all and she was getting medical help at all times. But , she developed severe TB and stopped responding to treatments and was suffering so much that one would feel it 's better she dies.(And that's what her mother was uttering repeatedly during the funeral ). I cannot describe the plight of her parents..and the sight of them during that time.

What did V do to deserve this?..
Life is unfair...and more so for the economically back-ward .

I usually reserve tragic and depressing topics for a select (unfortunate) few friends...so was shying away from posting this incident .
But what prompted me to write now is this news item.

I am not giving a link ,I have just put some excerpts from the article .

**************
BHOPAL, MARCH 16: The Madhya Pradesh Government has decided to end the Adolescence Education Programme (AEP), two years after it was introduced to classes IX and XI, saying “sex education has no place in Indian culture”.

The source said some officials tried to convince the CM about the merits of the programme and why the National AIDS Control Society and Unicef had introduced it in the first place, but Chouhan “avoided any discussion on the issue”.
Batra had advised the CM against sex education in schools, and was in turn told that yoga should be included in curriculum in place of sex education.

Nineteen districts were covered in the first phase of the AEP programme, and 11 more were added in the current year.
“We were planning to cover the remaining 18 districts in the next academic year,” said an official associated with AEP, describing how the directorate was ready with proposal to start Red Ribbon Clubs in schools to create awareness about AIDS.

“The scrapping is not a wise step. In fact, it’s one step backwards,” said Mukesh Sinha, director of MP Voluntary Health Association, and NGO that works in the field of health education.

**************

Where is this country going ? Who are the people who decide our fate ?

And the main reason for banning sex education in MP is

"They felt teachers of co-educational schools would have felt embarrassed while teaching the subject "
(NO!! I did not take this from jokes.com ! )

I ask all these politicians....
"How could you allow 'Anatomy' classes in Medical Schools to continue ?
Dont you have any feelings for the poor teachers there ? "

30 comments:

monu said...

hi sree
thanks for visiting my blog
sad to read this
very sad
i remember once we had an awareness session in my school
it was kind of sex education too
we were taught about aids and how it occurs
and the final session was about how to treat the aids patients

the lady asked us to close our eyes and to think all those we deeply cared for. and imagine that they had aids
she asked us if we would abandon them and run away?

made me think a lot
am glad the girl got love and care when she was alive

its really sad

Sree's Views said...

Hey Monu...its ur first time here and I wish it was a diff post u got to read...but thanks for sharing ur sentiments .
We too had some 'Sisters' conducting seminars in our school but all I remember is that it was one giggly giggly session !
But ofcourse it threw light on things that we otherwise wld not have known.
Thanks for ur comment :)

Just Words said...

This is a real sad and soul touching incident, at times incidents like this makes u wonder about the fairness of life itself ….I guess God has a reason for every thing but the fact is, a little awarness could have saved 3 life .

Talking about MP and its banning sex education. As some one who has lived in different part of MP it comes as no surprise to me. Here are some example of the AIDS awareness in MP
In school once a highly informed teacher ( Sanskrit teacher ) provide us the knowledge that AIDS is a disease which happens to dirty people and also to college going kids because they do a lot of dirty things, we were not allowed to ask what this dirty things where.
Second was in a barber shop when I demand that the barber use a new blade … he said as long as u don’t do dirty things u don’t have to fear about “gande bemari” bad diseases (AIDS pronounced “ageds”) and then he gave a “ I know every thing” kind of smile

And all that talk about culture makes me wonder what they plan to do about Kajurahoo, Blow it out of existence or get rid of all the kids in that district.

If I am not wrong about the statistics , India will over take Africa when it comes to number of HIV infected people. I wish atleast in matters of health issue like this Govt’s act in a bit more mature fashion

balar said...

@sree,

Sorry to hear abt ur "V"...
There are 100,000 of Vs in our country...
I fully agree with you regading sex education.
I too heard abt Banning sex education in MP..
but it was not just Govt decisions,after teachers,parents and big opponent policians protest against sex education MP govt had to remove.
Recent study says in india, 79% shool and college students are well aware of HIV/AIDS...

A study says.

/*India has a high number of children who have never been to school, who live on the streets, or who work. A study conducted by the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) and UNAIDS in 1996 showed a pattern of high-risk behavior among street and working children in different parts of the country in the area of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and drug abuse.*/

My more concern is how are we going to save these children????

Adiya said...

Oruvanu ikku Oruthi ingar cultural country illa dhaan ethu maathiri adhiga maa nadakuthu.

Pavam V. Let me pray her soul rest in peace.

Syam said...

ada paavamey...ippo ellam horoscope ku bathilaa mandatory ah medical report paarkanumnu law kondu varanum....

Sree's Views said...

JW..
Thanks ! U r very rt...it was 3 lives and what eats at me is that 2 were innocent ones :(
I can forgive the barber (like in the bike ad ;-) ) but I cant forgive that teacher .
I have heard that there are villages in AP and some places in TN which are called "AIDS belt " and which needs severe steps to control the spread .
Thanks for ur comment and update ur blog :)

Sree's Views said...

Hey Bala...
Vaanga Vaanga...
I am sure there are lakhs of A to Z s but when u see someone u have known for long suffer , the impact it has on you is many-fold ! And I am very sorry for all of them .

//Recent study says in india, 79% shool and college students are well aware of HIV/AIDS...//
hmm I hope the stats grows to 100 %.
I understand that the Govt. must have been under pressure ...but banning is pretty extreme ! They cld have worked out something...Bala...it all depends on who can get the max votes !

//My more concern is how are we going to save these children???? //
Can I reserve this for another post at a later date ?
Thanks Bala... :)

PS :enna Bala PK post ipdee aagidichi ;-)
Innum koncham naal avara nalla vaaralaamnu ninaichomey :))

Sree's Views said...

Hello Adiya..
// Oruvanu ikku Oruthi //
Adhellam verum literature layum history layum dhaan varumpaa...reality la irundhudhaanu dbt dhaan .
// Let me pray her soul rest in peace. //
Romba thanks Adiya .
Looking forward to ur PBS list :)

Sree's Views said...

Naataamai....
Nee theerpu sollitaa adha "Maathu !!" nnu 'katha' yaaralaiyum mudiyaadhu :P

//medical report paarkanumnu law kondu varanum.... //
Sooperaa soneenga thala !
Just what I thgt has to be done !
Thank you :)

Jeevan said...

The teachers must have been first trained in this subject how to handle this education with students. I really felt sorry for V, and my deep condolence to her family.

gils said...

notaamai..jokea sonnalum..very valid point...medical report thaan inimay horoscopea iruka porathu..!!
ello sree..first time here...velgummin u to our katchi

Sree's Views said...

hey Jeeva...correct taa sonneenga ...
teachers kku training kodukanum illaina idhu mattum special teachers irukanum. enga school la reg teachers vara maataanga .
thanks for conveying ur condolence... :)
Week-end enssoi pannunga :)

Sree's Views said...

Hello Gils...what a surprise !!!
Romna sandhoshama irukku ippadee oru varaverppu paathu :)
Naan namba katchi pera kaapaatha I will try my best :P
enna ennala kavidha ellam ezhudha mudiyaadhu...ezhudhinena...
abbetment to suicide nnu ulla thalliduvaanga :P
adikadi vaanga....(inga ellam mokai post dhaan :P )

gils said...

bayangara seriousa postereenga...naan tamil posta irukumnu ninachen...ega peteraa irunthucha..bayanthuten.. :D:D

Just Words said...

Hey pal thanks for encourageing me to write i have to admit i am learning the tricks of the trade frim u ! :-) and ya keeping with my weekend to weekend bloging .. i have update my blog !

Sree's Views said...

Hey Gils..............
Ellam oru built-up dhaan :P
Katchila seindhutten illa..innimey
thirundhida maatenaa ? ;-)
Tamil post poda aasaidhaan....
Naan "Vanakkam" nu adicha adhu
"kdjhoie9034'od" ipdee varudhu :(
En peter ellam summa....gapsaa..
neenga kandukaadheenga..Akaan !!!
:P

Sree's Views said...

Hey JW.......
Dont even mention it , buddy!!!
Learning blogging from me ?
Heard of the blind leading the
'Cataract' patient :P ? lol
hmm..so u have updated ?
me see u there :)

Ravi said...

Sree... thoongiteengalaa? Pudhu post please....

unfuel the planet said...

wht happened... u stopped blogging?

Sree's Views said...

Hey Ravi...
Neenga veruma padichittu, comment podaama poidareenga illa ? :P
Adhaan naan post podaradha niruthitten :(
Chumma kidding....inga koncham velai jaasti adhaan preoccupied :)
Very nice of u to enquire :)
Ravi..unga post padichen...comment podaren :)
cosmetics , accessories ellam paatha unga post dhaan nyabhagam varudhu... lol

Sree's Views said...

Hello Pegasus....
//wht happened... u stopped blogging? //

And here I am thinking that u stopped commenting :P

Thanks for asking....

unfuel the planet said...

i had taken a week long break and travelled all across kerela esp munnar, and kanyakumari.

nehow today was a productive day with 3 posts one after another

Sree's Views said...

Pegasus
Wow....So you must have had a great time this past week...did u get to go to Varkala and Kumarakom ? Kanyakumari is a wonderful place too !
I was very busy with work the past one week and was a little preoccupied.
//nehow today was a productive day with 3 posts one after another //
yeah ! I read 'funny answers..' and I tell u...it was hilarious.
Was surprised to see two more posts in the afternoon.
You wont believe it Pegasus...
worse than asking abt kids and places is asking a lady with a child "what does ur husband do"....I have put myself and the other person in such embarrassing positions that I was almost disowned by my parents :))

unfuel the planet said...

have not been to Varkala and Kumarakom... actually i become really lazy during vacations.

//I was almost disowned by my parents//
yups... i guess the best ice breaker is to ask about sports, politics, or ekta kapoor serials.

Sree's Views said...

Hey Pegasus...
//...actually i become really lazy during vacations//
Exactly the way one shd be during vacations !!
There is no point setting wake up calls to do sight-seeing :)

Ravi said...

Sree, nice to see you back. Edho enna maadhiri maasathukku oru post (adhuvum after so much pushing from blogger friends) poduranvangala irundhaa onnum therinjirukkadha. Daily oru post pottu kalakittu irudheenga. Thideernu stop panna enna artham? So seekiram post podunga... Thanks :)

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