Moral policing in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu does not want women to have access to emergency contraceptive pills.

Cipla's new emergency contraceptive, popularly known as the 'morning after pill', the i-pill is showing contra-indications in Tamil Nadu.

The Tamil Nadu Directorate of Drugs Control has sent a notice to a popular Tamil magazine, Ananda Vikatan, for publishing advertisements of the i-pill.

The state government has 'moral' issues as well.

Says N Selvaraju [Director Of Drugs Control], "The advertising of this drug will mean that women will think 'I can do anything and there's an easy way not to get pregnant'. We can't allow such an attitude. We are not against women's rights, but this is a moral concern."

Cipla had lost a similar case against the Tamil Nadu government last year for its drug Norlevo, which was another emergency contraceptive. [link]

Given that the state politicians claim themselves to be rationals, Tamil Nadu appears to have very retrograde ideas about what women should or should not do. Recently they hounded actress Khushboo for making certain remarks.

Contrast this report with a recent CNN-IBN coverage of a similar Government intervention in MP (BJP ruled state).