Reports of surge in condom supply annoys Kumbh Mela planners
Certain sections of the media had reported that authorities would be despatching 5.40 lakh condoms to Nashik to meet the surging demands during the Kumbh Mela.
With a week to go for its commencement, the Kumbh Mela at Nashik got embroiled in a condom controversy. Those associated with the Kumbh Mela are furious over media reports that condoms have been provisioned in large quantities by the authorities in anticipation of the lakhs of people for the holy congregation.
Certain sections of the media had reported that authorities would be dispatching 5.40 lakh condoms to Nashik to meet the surging demands during the Kumbh Mela. This is almost double the quantity of condoms that Nashik district consumes in a month.
The purists are aghast at the very idea of linking condoms to the holy festival that is revered by the sadhus, aghoris and the like. "There is nothing wrong in creating awareness about use of condoms to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. However, the same should not be done using the pretext of Kumbh Mela. Doing so would hurt the sentiments of lakhs of devotees who come for the holy dip," said Mahant Sudhirdas Pujari of Nashik.
He added that those who have provisioned large quantities of condoms with Kumbh Mela in mind do not know the spirit of the festival where abstinence from sex is not just essential, it is also voluntary. Pujari even went to the extent of suspecting a scam in the procurement of condoms for an event where its consumption would be the least.
The Maharashtra State AIDS Control Society (MSACS) which facilitated the procurement of condoms for Nashik is now claiming that the controversy has been needlessly created.
"First of all reports of supplying 5.40 lakh condoms to Nashik is not correct. The numbers of condoms that are being supplied to Nashik are 2.60 lakhs and this has nothing to do with the Kumbh Mela being held there, said Kushalsinh Pardeshi, the project director of MSACS. He added that 2.60 lakh condoms despatched to Nashik is the regular supply that the district receives every month.
"Moreover, due to paucity of funds we did not have the resources to supply the condoms and hence we requested the state family planning department to supply the condoms to 10 NGOs that are associated with MSACS.
Like Nashik, all other districts in Maharashtra also receive condoms that are distributed to people, including the high-risk category, through the NGOs. Every month 68 lakh condoms are distributed free of cost across the state," Pardeshi added.
"Mediapersons had asked pointed questions about possible surge in demand for condoms due to the Kumbh Mela to which I replied that we would monitor the demand and act accordingly. However, my reply was construed that I was linking condom supply to Kumbh Mela, which is not correct," Pardeshi said.
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