Draupadi-like situation may arise, says Ajit Pawar while talking about female infanticide

Pune: Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday said female infanticide had skewed the sex ratio so much in some parts of the state that in future "one might have to think of Draupadi".

Draupadi, a character from the Hindu epic "Mahabharat", had five husbands.

Speaking at a gathering of doctors at Indapur in Pune district, Pawar referred to complaints by some gynaecologists about the harassment they face from the health department in the name of preventing sex determination in prenatal testing.

Doctors are not supposed to disclose the sex of a foetus after such tests as it could lead to the parents opting for abortion of a female foetus.

Responding to the complaint, Pawar said even if there were instances of harassment, it was also known that "illegal things" do happen at hospitals.

"You know the situation in Beed (where some doctors had been arrested for running illegal abortion rackets). Such incidents should not happen. Male and female ratio in some districts is skewed, as bad as 850 females to 1000 males. Things will get difficult in future. One might have to think of Draupadi (one woman having several husbands)....such a situation may arise," the deputy CM said. There should be no harassment of doctors, but the government also expects transparency from them, he added.

Pawar immediately also clarified that he did not mean to hurt anyone's sentiments with his Draupadi example.

Meanwhile, the NCP chief also took a swipe at his estranged uncle and head of the rival NCP (SP), Sharad Pawar, over the latter's 'original-outsider' remark.

Referring to two women present at the event, Ajit said they were originally from Beed, "but even if you came here as daughters-in-law, we do not consider you outsiders."

Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra is contesting from Baramati Lok Sabha constituency on the NCP's ticket. Her chief rival is sitting MP and Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule.

Asked about Ajit Pawar's appeal to the voters that they should elect a daughter-in-law of the Pawar family this time, senior Pawar had said "one (Supriya) is the original Pawar and the other Pawar (Sunetra) has come from outside."