Expressing disappointment over India’s move to abstain from voting in the United Nations Human Rights Council to appoint an independent investigator to help protect the rights of homosexuals and transgender worldwide, the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender community members on Friday demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence and speak about “inclusive society”.
Throwing light on the fact that the private member bill brought by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor was unanimously rejected by the Parliament, transgender activist Akkai Padmashali said it reflected ‘intolerance’ on the government’s part.
“That is very disappointing. When the UN Human Rights Council had a special session on sexual orientation and gender identity, India took a strange stand, which is very disappointing. This is not the first time. When Shashi Tharoor of the Congress presented a private member bill in the Parliament on Section 377, the Parliament unanimously rejected it. That shows intolerance,” Padmashali said.
“India not supporting it in UN shows you are homophobic and a biphobic. I demand the prime minister to break his silence to speak about an inclusive society. Any kind of fundamentalism and criminalism is unacceptable,” Padmashali added.
Rajesh Umabharti of the Sangama Organisation for LGBT said the government’s stand in this regard was not surprising as it reflected the ‘fascist’ mindset.
“It is really not surprising. It is the second time it has happened. With the present government, it is not at all surprising. This government is anti-minority; it comes from a fascist kind of mindset. The prime minister doesn’t take a stand on LGBT matters. It is stupendously stupid on the part of this government to abstain from the issue,” Umabharti said.
After a heated debate lasting almost four hours, the 47-member state forum overcame strong objections by Saudi Arabia and Muslim countries to adopt a Western-backed resolution by a vote of 23 states in favour and 18 against with six abstentions.
The United States and major European countries backed the resolution, while China, Russia and 16 African and predominantly Muslim states rejected it. India, South Africa and the Philippines were among the abstainers.
