In a new move, Indian-American LGBTQ members have requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to support the equal rights of the queer community in India. PM Modi will embark on his first state visit to the US this month. There, US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will host him for a state dinner on June 22. His four-day visit will commence on June 21.
“I would say the Indian Supreme Court has been debating the issue of gay marriage, LGBTQ marriage for a couple of months now. I would urge Prime Minister Modi to support this, to support the equal rights of the LGBTQ community in India and to understand that our children and LGBTQ folks are entitled to equal rights because we are all human,” Aruna Rao, executive director, Desi Rainbow, told PTI.
He had participated in the historic Pride Rally
Rao was invited to participate in the historic Pride Rally on the South Lawns of the White House which was addressed by President Joe Biden and the First Lady Dr Jill Biden.
“My understanding is in the metro areas, there is some support for LGBTQ people. Legislatively also, the government has moved forward in terms of transgender rights. But there is a lot to be done, particularly not in the metro areas, in the small towns, in the villages where people don't have support, don't have access to any kind of equal rights,” she said.
“In every which way, economically, socially, culturally, LGBTQ folks in India, in South Asia need a lot of support,” Rao said.
Rights of LGBTQ people in India
Another Indian-American participant at the White House Pride Rally, Lesley Kingston hoped that President Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have a good meeting later this month.
“I hope that their bilateral relationships between the two countries get stronger. But I do hope that Prime Minister Modi really spends some time taking a look at the South Asian, the Indian community here and learning how we are striving for progress and to be able to implement the same kind of things and give the rights of LGBTQ people in India: all the rights that we have here and more. Because they deserve it,” Kingston told PTI.
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