The I-(rrational) pill

Tamil Nadu’s moral ban followed protests from anti-abortion groups like Responsible Parents Forum and Satvika Samuga Sevakar Sangam, which claimed ECPs induce abortion.

Illustration/Uday Mohite

How to get a prescription for the excessive moral panic and irrational desire for control of people’s bodies? This is a question that comes to mind, as we follow the latest episode of the long running cultural soap opera titled Who’s Afraid of Sexual Autonomy?

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There is a proposed ban on over-the-counter sales of the emergency contraceptive pill (ECP), more commonly called I-pill, which prevents pregnancy if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex. The ban’s aim or claim is to prevent “irrational and excessive use” of the morning after pill. The pill has been widely available in India since 2002. The exception is the state of Tamil Nadu where ECPs have been shadow banned since 2006. It is........

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