06 July,2011 07:22 AM IST | | Agencies
LGBT community, celebs, UNAIDS slam the Health Minister for calling MSM a 'disease'
Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad's remarks that men having sex with men (MSM) is a "disease" and "unnatural" has drawn sharp criticism, not just from the gay community but also celebrities and UNAIDS.
Mohnish Malhotra, who has been involved in the fight for gay rights and is one of the organisers of the annual gay pride, said the minister's comments were shocking.
"It's shocking that such a comment was made by the country's health minister," said Malhotra.
"Even the UN passed a resolution saying that the LGBT community has equal rights as anyone else and cannot be discriminated on the basis of their sexual orientation," he added.
On Monday at a conference on HIV/AIDS, Azad said, "The disease of MSM is unnatural and not good for India. We are not able to identify where it is happening as it is less reported also.
"It is a challenge because in cases of female sex workers we can identify the community and reach out to them. But in case of MSM, it is becoming difficult," he added.
UNAIDS, which took part in the HIV/AIDS convention in which the minister made the comment, yesterday issued a statement saying that homosexuality is not a disease and there is no place for discrimination on the basis of a person's sexual orientation.
Celebs go Ballistic
Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen: "No sane person would say, homosexuality is a 'disease'. But anything can happen in 'incredible India'."
Film director Onir: "Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad needs urgent counselling for his regressive statement. His 'unnatural' stand is dangerous for healthy democracy."
