Credit for that doesn’t go to me or my party, it goes to the community that mobilised and came out in large numbers to fight for social acceptance, says Priya Dutt
On Sunday the LGBTQIA+ community met Congress leader Priya Dutt after India’s oldest political party became the first to mention equal rights for the community in its election manifesto. Dutt told the gathering that she has always been supportive of the demand for equal rights long before the party came around to see that point of view.
“Credit for that doesn’t go to me or my party, it goes to the community that mobilised and came out in large numbers to fight for social acceptance,” she said and added, “Aggrieved voices of thousands can only be ignored for so long. Civil rights activists and some political leaders who stood in solidarity with the movement also helped.”
Pointing out how most exclusion comes from ignorance, she said, “With TV shows and other content normalising same-sex love, it has become easier to explain to children why some families have two papas or two mammas,” she said admitting that her own children had raised such questions.
Admitting that reading down of Section 377 by the Supreme Court which decriminalised consensual same-sex relationships between two adults opened many doors for the community she pointed out that the real battle lies ahead. “Finding fault with what happened in the past is not wrong but one has to put more thoughts into who we elect to the Parliament. Eventually one hopes to see more aware representatives who are able to speak about this issue with both authority and passion.”
Denying charges of tokenism she said, “That this has found mention in the party manifesto only because the community has been consulted. Modalities of how this will be worked will also be done in synergy with the community,” she said and added, “Nobody is doing any favour here. After all the Constitution guarantees us equal rights.”
She also said the party manifesto has been endorsed by Congress president Rahul Gandhi. “This calls for a change of opinions and mindsets not only in metro cities like Mumbai and Delhi but also across the board,” she said reminding how transwoman Apsara Reddy, was recently appointed as the general secretary of All India Mahila Congress. “I learnt that a transperson is contesting against me from my constituency, and I’m so happy about it,” she said.
EQUAL RIGHTS
- Priya Dutt underlined how the party wanted to mainstream the LGBTQIA+ community and see them take on important roles across sections within the party
- She also said that there should be a change in mindsets not only in metro cities but also across the board
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