An affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has launched a campaign to “impart cultural values to babies in the womb”, PTI reported.

Under the “Garbha Sanskar” campaign, gynaecologists will reach out to pregnant women and teach them ways to ensure that the child learns about Indian culture even before birth.

On Sunday, RSS affiliate Samvardhinee Nyas held a workshop on the subject at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi. Several gynaecologists and ayurveda practitioners attended the event.

Samvardhinee Nyas’ national organising secretary Madhuri Marathe said that the initiative took its inspiration from Jijabai, the mother of 17-century ruler Shivaji, The Indian Express reported. She claimed that imparting values to children in the womb was important to raise children who will be patriotic and respectful towards women.

One of the speakers at the event, Shweta Dangre, claimed that parents’ expectations about their child’s gender were the reason why children grew up to be homosexual, according to The Times of India.

“If the mother already has a son as her firstborn and expects her second-born to be a girl, but gives birth to a boy, then the child could grow up to be homosexual,” she claimed.

Some speakers at the event also reportedly claimed that if garbha sanskar is performed properly, even the DNA of the child may be changed in the womb.

However, there is no evidence that such practices have any effect on a person’s DNA or sexual orientation.

The programme developed by Samvardhinee Nyas will involve the chanting of verses from the Gita and Ramayana, and will also promote yoga exercises.

At the workshop in JNU, the participants pledged to promote garbha sanskar among at least 1,000 pregnant women each year.