Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, who is in the US to meet his American counterpart Sylvia Mathews Burwell, has sparked a controversy by saying that promoting condom usage is not enough to prevent AIDS.
In an interview to The New York Times, the ENT doctor said that the thrust of the AIDS campaign should not be only on the use of condoms as it sends the wrong message that “you can have any kind of illicit sexual relationship, but as long as you’re using a condom, it’s fine”.
He also said that the national campaign should also encourage integrity of sexual relationship between husband and wife — “a part of Indian culture”.
Dr Harsh Vardhan has been condemned for making such a statement.
On microblogging website twitter, Aam Aadmi Party leader Ashutosh, who was defeated by the BJP leader in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, urged Dr Harsh Vardhan to be modern.
