India's abstention from the United Nations vote on protecting homosexuals and transgenders met with angry reactions from LGBT rights activists, who termed it as 'shameful, condemnable and heartbreaking'.
Founder of Naz Foundation, which has filed a curative plea in India's top court, the Supreme Court on decriminalising homosexuality, Anjali Gopalan said, 'It is really unfortunate that we abstained. On one hand we want to be considered a very progressive nation
yet when it comes to protecting the rights of our people we don't want to do it.' Rejecting the explanation of MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup, who said India abstained from voting because the
matter is sub-judice, Gopalan said, 'What happened in UN has nothing to do with the case in Supreme Court, which is looking
at decriminalising homosexuality. The UN vote is on documenting violence. So, what is the problem with saying yes.
The decision to abstain really shows our mindset.'
Chairman of Mumbai-based Humsafar Trust Ashok Row Kavi said, 'I condemn the decision to abstain as it shows that
India is against universal human rights. We have signed the human rights charter but we have gone against it by
abstaining.'
However he says there is a silver lining, 'This time India abstained, which is a step forward from last time when
it voted against rights for same sex couples. This time we abstained which could mean that on a later date India can
change its stance.'
He was referring to India's vote last year against the UN Secretary General's decision to extend marriage benefits to
LGBT couples or same-sex couples. Bollywood stylist Rishi Raj, who is a vocal supporter of LGBT rights, dubbed India's move as 'heartbreaking'.
'As heartbreaking as it is I am not surprised because this goes on to show the hypocrisy that we are dealing with in
our country. To draw a link between the SC case and UN vote is an excuse to not touch anything remotely LGBT…
'It is this pink elephant in the room that nobody wants to talk about. This also goes on to show that our country has
no plan of evolution for LGBT rights, definitely till this government is in power,' he said
