Defending UPA’s presidential nominee Pratibha Patil’s controversial stance on sterilisation during Emergency in December 1975, the Congress today said that her remarks made in the Maharashtra Assembly was quoted out of

context.

As reported by The Sunday Express, as Health Miniser in the S B Chavan Cabinet, Patil had endorsed a proposal, seeking to make family planning compulsory for all citizens. According to the Assembly records accessed, Patil had said: “We are also thinking of forcible sterilisation for people with hereditary diseases.”

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi today questioned the interpretation of her statement. “The proceedings of the Assembly are a matter of record and need not be quibbled over. However, we totally reject the tendentious interpretation sought to be given to that clear record when read contextually and reasonably,” he said.

Although Singhvi refused to be drawn into a debate on merits and demerits of Patil’s remarks, Congress sources sought to justify

her statement, saying the sub-text of her speech in

the House has to be read carefully.

“What is wrong in advocating family planning as a religion in itself? She just wanted the people to adopt family planning. The very fact that she talked about forcible sterilisation for a special category of people only proves our point,” said a senior party leader.

In a related development, senior Congress leaders today met at the AICC headquarters to discuss the strategy for Patil’s campaign in the run up to the presidential election. Those who attended the meeting included Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunshi, AICC General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi, Prithviraj Chavan and Abhishek Singhvi. Patil is likely to kick off her campaign from Chennai on July 1.