Adopting an evasive approach, India on Friday abstained from a United Nations Human Rights Council vote to appoint, for a period of three years, an Independent Expert to help protect the rights of homosexuals and transgenders worldwide.
Expressing disappointment over India's move to abstain from voting, the LGBT community members on Friday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi 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 United Nations 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 377, the Parliament unanimously rejected it. That shows intolerance," Padmashali told ANI.
"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 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. Prime Minister Modi doesn't take a stand on LGBT matters. It is stupendously stupid on part of this government to abstain from the issue," Umabharti told ANI.
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.
Adopted by a vote of 23 in favour, 18 against and 6 abstentions, the resolution said the mandate of the Independent Expert would be to assess the implementation of existing international human rights instruments with regard to ways to overcome violence and discrimination against persons on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and to identify and address the root causes of violence and discrimination.
