Doctors' Association for Social Equality

From http://www.hindu.com/2007/02/15/stories/2007021519880200.htm

CHENNAI: A study of 150 couples on the Marina beach showed that 90 per cent of them thought an HIV/ AIDS test should be made mandatory before marriage.

The study was undertaken by the Madras Christian Council of Social Service to promote awareness of safe sex among couples and concern for one's partner.

About 60 percent of the group was aged 17-21 years, 30 percent from 20-26 years and the remaining 27 years and above.

Ironically, 85 per cent of the people interviewed said HIV/AIDS was not a concern among them as they enjoyed exclusivity. Premarital sex is still considered largely unacceptable (80 per cent said it was not ok). The council representatives approached the couples with Valentine Day cards with information about testing centres for AIDS.

Special lunches

Hi-Tours, a destination marketing and conference management company, in association with Indian (airlines), is offering a special Valentine's Day launch for singles in Chennai. The offer is valid from February 14 for two months and is for a two nights and three days stay at destinations such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Sri Lanka. The uniqueness of the offer is that the rooms are on a single occupancy. Singles from both sexes get to visit different countries without waiting for someone to accompany them.

Departure dates are March 9 and 23 and April 14 and 28. Call 42148011 for details.

Meet

Inter-caste and inter-religious marriages must be encouraged to abolish the caste system and those couples must be provided with social security.

This was the bottom line of the conference hosted by the youth wing of the Doctors' Association For Social Equality recently in view of Valentine's Day.

Citing the recommendations of the Constitution Review Committee headed by M.N. Venkatachaliah, the association demanded that children of inter-caste marriages be provided reservation in education and employment.

In a press release, G.R. Ravindranath, general secretary of the association said such parents or their children aged above 18 must be provided with options of choosing their caste or declaring themselves as caste-free persons.

If either of the couple belonged to Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes, they must be provided government employment and their children free school education. The Anjugam Ammaiyar memorial fund for inter-caste married couples must be raised to Rs.1 lakh from the present Rs.20,000.