North Indian CMs went overboard on sterilisation targets because of Sanjay Gandhi: Karan Singh

New Delhi, Mar 6 (PTI) The forced sterilisation drive in 1975-77 was a result of north Indian chief ministers seeing a "rising force" in Sanjay Gandhi, who spearheaded the mass vasectomy and tubectomy drive in an extra-constitutional capacity, Veteran politician Karan Singh on Friday said.

Karan Singh, who was the Union minister of health and family planning from 1973 to 1977, added that he had set "very reasonable targets" for sterilisation, but Sanjay Gandhi raised them.

The former diplomat was speaking at the launch of his authorised biography 'A Statesman and A Seeker' by Harbans Singh. He was joined by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and historian Malvika Singh.

"There were in those days certain targets for vasectomies and tubectomies that started from Rajkumari Amrit Kaur's time, and then I took over as the minister. I had selected some very reasonable targets in all these things. Really doable targets.

"Unfortunately, Sanjay Gandhi started raising the targets, and all the north Indians chief ministers, thinking Sanjay was a rising force, went overboard, trying to improve their numbers. That is when forced tubectomies took place," the 94-year-old said.

He said he wrote to those chief ministers after receiving reports of forced sterilisation, warning them against it.

"I wrote to the chief ministers saying I'm getting these reports that some force is being used. 'Please see that it doesn't happen'. My letters are on the file.

"The Shah commission looked at all those letters, which is why I was exonerated. I said, 'Put it down in black and white that do not use any force. It is against our policy,'" he said.

Karan Singh claimed that he never shared the stage with Sanjay Gandhi during his tenure.

Talking about Indira Gandhi's rout in the 1977 election after Emergency, Singh said he was among the few Congress MPs who managed to win that election.

"After Emergency, there was this tremendous anti-Indira Gandhi sentiment. The fact that I won that election, there were only three Congress MPs from north India. I think that was my greatest electoral success to win at that time. Why? Because I think people realised who was responsible for the 'zyadatees' (excesses)," he said. PTI MAH VN VN