A Political Party Contesting Just Ten Lok Sabha Seats In Maharashtra Has LGBTQIA Interests In Its Manifesto

 

by

 

P.S. Sahni

 

The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) released its 32-paged Lok Sabha Election Manifesto on 25^th April 2024. The party highlighted welfare measures for the LGBTQIA community. The amazing thing is that it is contesting on just ten out of 48 seats in alliance with Indian National Congress and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) in Maharashtra. Yet it has kept the LGBTQIA community’s interests in mind. Contrast it with the Manifesto of BJP which has hundreds of MPs but has ignored the gays, lesbians, bi-sexual and asexual.

 

The Manifesto States

 

·      Legal recognition: Ensure legal rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals, including marriage, adoption and healthcare access.

·      Inclusive Education: Provide educator training on LGBTQIA+ issues and foster safe and supportive educational environments for LGBTQIA+ students.

·      Healthcare Access Guarantee inclusive healthcare services, including gender-affirming care, mental health support and HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.

·      Hate Crime Legislation: enact laws targeting hate crimes against LGBTQIA+ individuals and train law enforcement agencies to effectively handle such crimes.

·      Community support Services: invest in youth centers, counseling and support groups to tackle community-specific challenges and enhance well-being.

·      Workplace Inclusivity: Implement policies to eliminate discrimination, harassment and bullying based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

·      Public awareness campaigns: conduct sensitization initiatives to dismantle stereotypes, diminish stigma and cultivate understanding and acceptance of LGBTQIA+ individuals.

 

Supriya Sule of the NCP (SP) is a long-time friend, philosopher and ally of the LGBTQIA+ community. The NCP had formed LGBT Cell in October 2020. She had introduced a Private Member’s Bill in parliament on 1^st April 2022. The Bill proposed:

 

·      Same-sex marriage and asked for similar rights to same-sex couples as are available to heterosexual couples

·      Fixing marriageable age at 21 years if both partners are male, and 18 years for female partners.

·      Replacing the words “husband” and “wife” with “spouse” by amending the various sections of the Special Marriage Act, 1954. The Bill could not become an Act, but Supriya’s effort was the need of the hour.

 

Not a Word for Gays; Not a Word for Lesbians; Not a Word for Bisexuals in BJP’s Election Manifesto, 2024!

 

by

P.S. Sahni & Shobha Aggarwal

 

Not surprising though, but cannot be left uncommented upon. Nazi Germany exterminated gays and lesbians. Modi’s BJP is making gays, lesbians and bisexuals invisible, marginalized; not even worthy of mention in their election manifesto. This shows BJP’s intent. The gay, lesbian, bisexual community better get its act together now; else it would be too late.

 

The gays, lesbians and bisexuals are being treated the way Muslims in India are dealt with. Just see the Muslim communities very low representation in Parliament. The BJP does not field Muslim candidates in elections. In the last decade the residential, commercial properties belonging to Muslims are being bulldozed and razed to the ground. Judiciary has termed this as ethnic cleansing.

 

Ever since we at ABVA, released the report ‘Less than Gay’ in 1992 – which included a sixteen point Charter of Demands (Gay Manifesto), regular attempts have been made by us to send letters to MPs and major political parties requesting them to raise the issue in Parliament. A few non-BJP members have tried to introduce private members’ bills. But the BJP MPs have stalled their Introduction. The BJP treats gays, lesbians and bisexuals as persona non grata.

 

When the issue of same-sex marriage was being adjudicated by a five judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court of India, the BJP opposed the demand. Both the Solicitor General and the Attorney General for India resisted the Petitioners’ demands. The Solicitor General even suggested to the judges to let Parliament decide. Of course, whenever the issue was raised in Parliament by MPs from Indian National Congress, DMK and (erstwhile) NCP, the BJP MPs opposed these efforts.

 

The BJP’s election manifesto has thrown crumbs at the transgender community. The BJP has promised to expand the Rs. Five Lakh health insurance cover to include senior citizens over 70 years of age and transgenders. The BJP is using the same British ‘divide and rule’ policy. The unity of LGBTQIA community is sought to be disturbed thus – crumbs for the transgenders and nothing at all for gays, lesbians and bisexuals.

 

Even this public display of concern for transgenders has inbuilt biases. All transgenders whether teenagers/middle aged/older will be clubbed with senior citizens of over 70 years. While these citizens over 70 years of age may have health issues and need medical treatment for their diseases, is the BJP insinuating that transgenders are diseased? If this be so, it displays a fascist mindset.

 

P.S. Sahni & Shobha Aggarwal are members of ABVA.

LGBTQIA Community; General Elections 2024 for the 18th Lok Sabha; and Election Manifestoes

 

Part-1

 

by

P.S. Sahni & Shobha Aggarwal

 

When ABVA (AIDS Bhedbhav Virodhi Andolan) released its report, ‘Less than Gay’ in 1992 it included a 16-point Charter of Demands (Gay Manifesto) which can be accessed here.

 

Countercurrents.org on 15 August 2020 published the “People’s Manifesto for Ecological Democracy”. It included:

 

·      The rights of people with different sexual orientations – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual needs to be respected.

·      All the laws that criminalise or discriminate against the LGBTQIA community should be abolished. India should pass laws that allow marriage among same sex and LGBTQIA communities.

 

Countercurrents.org published an updated version ‘A People’s Manifesto for Ecological Democracy – 2.0’ on 13 March 2024.

 

The Indian National Congress released its Election Manifesto on Friday, 5 April, 2024. It included:

·      We will expand Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution to prohibit discrimination on the ground of ‘disability’, ‘impairment’ or ‘sexual orientation’.

·      After wide consultation, Congress will bring a law to recognize civil unions between couples belonging to the LGBTQIA community.

 

The CPI (M) released its Election Manifesto on 4 April 2024:

·      Amend the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 to address concerns raised by the community.

·      Legal recognition and protection to same sex couples similar to marriage – ‘civil union’/‘same-sex partnerships’, legislation/s on similar lines as Special Marriage Act, 1954 so that the partner can be listed as dependent, for inheritance, alimony in case of divorce etc.

·      A comprehensive anti-discriminatory bill covering LGBTQ+

·      Reservation in education institutions; ensuring horizontal reservation in employment.

·      Ensuring crimes against LGBTQ+ persons are treated on par with crimes against non-LGBTQ+ persons.

·      Measures to address bullying, violence and harassment of gender non-conforming and LGBTQ+ students, staff and teachers in educational spaces; enforcement of UGC anti-ragging policy amendment (2016) that addresses ragging based on sexual orientation and gender identity, ensuring accessible and safe bathrooms for trans, intersex and gender non-conforming students, staff and faculty.

·      Sex change surgeries of LGBTQI should not be done without their informed consent.

 

[P.S Sahni & Shobha Aggarwal are members of ABVA.]

P.S.: Part-2 will appear on 19 April 2024.