Those behind book Mulgach Kasa Hoyil will now be booked

Following a special mention yesterday by MLA Vivek Pandit during the ongoing budget session, speaker of the state legislative assembly Dilip Walse Patil issued instructions that cases be registered against author, publisher and printer of the controversial book Mulgach Kasa Hoyil (How to get a male child) under suitable sections of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition on Sex-Selection) Act, 1994 and that all published copies of the book be seized.

MiD DAY was the first to highlight the issue about how the book was being sold openly in the city (‘PMC indifferent over book on ‘how to get male child', February 22) . The news report also pointed out the fact that despite ongoing efforts to curb female foeticide, books claiming to provide scientific ways to get male child were doing the rounds at many of the city's bookstalls.

Brought to light: The report MiD DAY publised on February 22

Earlier, local activist Ganesh Borhade had filed a complaint to the PCPNDT cell, which comes under the family welfare department, on September 25 last year. According to Borade, V D Khanande, joint director of state health services and family welfare department had forwarded the complaint to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for further action. But no action was taken, Borhade said.

MLA Vivek Pandit said, "I requested the honourable speaker for a special mention about this book and how authorities in Pune have failed to take any action. Walse Patil issued instructions to seize copies of the book and register cases against author, publisher and printer of this book."

Dirty: The book, which has been written by V V Chaudhary, violates the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994, which states that there should not be any content that promotes gender selection

Pandit added that despite the intervention of the joint director of the state health services and family welfare department, the PMC had failed to initiate any action for almost three months.

Elaborating on why action was not taken against the responsible persons and why copies of the book were not seized, Dr Kishor Pakhare, from PMC's health department, said, "We were unable to take action as the copies of this book were unavailable."u00a0

The illegal guide
The Marathi book Mulgach Kasa Hoyil, written by V V Chaudhary, caught Ganesh Suresh Borhade's attention at a book stall at an ST bus stand while travelling from Ahmadnagar to Pune last September. As he was preparing for competitive exams, he realised that the content of the book was in direct violation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994 which states that there should not be any content that promotes gender selection.u00a0