India abstained from LGBT vote in UN as matter is subjudice: MEA

India’s response on the LGBT vote in the UN comes hours after LGBT community members expressed disappointment over its move to help protect the rights of homosexuals and transgenders worldwide. The LGBT community members today demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence and speak about “inclusive society”.

READ: LGBT community questions PM Modi’s silence, says govt has ‘fascist mindset’

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 Mr. 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.

Meanwhile, the Rashtriya Janata Dal too on Friday criticised the NDA government’s move to abstain from voting in the UN Human Rights Council to appoint an independent investigator to help protect the rights of homosexuals and transgenders worldwide, saying that it would send a ‘negative’ message from India on a ‘progressive issue’.